Lakshadweep – a Muslim dominated Union Territory, is soon going to witness a change. The change that can help Muslim students to focus on their educational growth. In a new calendar released by the Lakshadweep Education Department, Friday has been declared as a working day, while Sundays will be weekly holidays for schools in the islands.
No holiday on Jumma Fridays
The Lakshadweep Education Department has marked an end to the decades-old privilege of Muslim students. On the island, Fridays were holidays for these students on grounds of religion. Now, the department has stepped in with the decision of announcing Sunday as the weekly holiday. Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal reported that “Ever since the schools were opened in islands for providing education for students some six decades ago, Friday was a holiday and Saturday up to half-day was a working day.”
He also revealed that the decision was taken without any discussion with any of the bodies of schools, the district panchayat or with the local MP.
Official sources said that the administration modified the school timings and regular school activities to ensure “optimum utilization of resources, proper engagement of learners and necessary planning of teaching learning process”.
However, P P Abbas, Vice President cum Counsellor of the Lakshadweep District Panchayat, in a letter written to the Advisor to Administrator Praful Khoda Patel, requested him to reconsider the order of the Education Department. In his letter, he stated that “The ethnic population of Lakshadweep is Muslims and to their faith, Friday is a holiday and offering JumaNamaz on Friday is considered to be an unavoidable religious practice.”
Lakshadweep administration ensuring better future for UT
The archipelago Lakshadweep has been in the spotlight since the administration tried to carry out some new reforms, which Praful Khoda Patel refers to as his “development plan.” This plan is an attempt to enhance the tourism sector of the Union Territory and make it a luxury tourism destination, but the new reforms have not been accepted well by the locals of the state, that is, 97 per cent of Muslims.
Earlier, the administration had decided to lift the ban on alcohol. Praful Khoda Patel, the Administrator of the Union Territory, had given a nod to allow the opening of liquor bars on the island, to promote tourism. The left-liberals and Islamists around the country went up in arms against the opening of liquor stores and portrayed Patel as the ultimate villain of the island.
Despite the Lakshadweep administration’s efforts to ensure better education, tourism and development of UT, the Muslims are not cooperating with the administration. Lakshadweep could become a viable alternative to the Maldives when it comes to attracting tourists, but it still remains unutilised.