Bihar mayor’s ‘2-hour Holi break’ call sparks row

Darbhanga: The mayor of Bihar’s Darbhanga has suggested a two-hour break during Holi celebrations on March 14, which coincides with the Friday prayers during the holy month of Ramzan.

In a statement, mayor Anjum Ara proposed that Holi festivities be halted temporarily between 12.30 pm to 2 pm as the timing of Jumma (Friday prayers) cannot be changed.

“Jumma time cannot be extended, so there should be a two-hour break on Holi,” the statement said.

The mayor urged that those playing Holi should maintain distance from mosques and places of prayer for two hours.

“Holi and Ramzan have been celebrated many times before and have been celebrated peacefully in the district,” she said.

However, the mayor’s remark triggered a strong riposte from the BJP, with MLA Haribhushan Thakur calling her a woman with a “terrorist mindset”. Opposing her proposal, Thakur said there would be no restrictions on Holi celebrations.

“There will be no ban on Holi celebrations. The mayor is a woman with a Ghazwa-e-Hind mentality. We know about her family background. How can she stop Holi? Holi will not stop, it will not stop even for a minute,” Thakur asserted.

Recently, Sambhal Circle Officer (CO) Anuj Kumar Chaudhary, on March 7, said those uncomfortable with colours should remain indoors as the Hindu festival comes once a year.

A peace committee meeting was held on Tuesday at the Sambhal Kotwali police station in view of the upcoming Holi festival on Friday.