SFI opposes against government's decision regarding holiday for Ram temple ceremony

NEW DELHI: The Government of India announced on January 18, 2024, that all government offices, central institutions, educational institutions, and industrial organisations would remain closed until 2:30 pm today, January 22. The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) opposed this decision of the government.

Government declared a holiday to allow employees to join the Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha celebrations at Ayodhya. Many central universities and institutions also followed accordingly and declared a holiday today, January 22. "The Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya will be celebrated on 22nd January 2024 across India. To enable employees to participate in the celebrations, it has been decided that all central government offices, central institutions and central industrial establishments throughout India will be closed for half day till 2:30 on 22nd January 2024," said the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions in an office memo.

According to SFI, such announcements reveal the government's direct engagement in a religious celebration, which violates India's secular and democratic norms. While students and people have the freedom to select their own religious beliefs and practices, the government and university administration is misusing their authority by issuing such circulars.

Also read Half-day in all central government offices on January 22 in view of Ram temple consecration

As per SFI, the leave on the day of the Ram temple's consecration represents a bigger goal of politicising religion and the state, which everyone must oppose and counter with a firm and principled defense of secularism.

The SFI press release read. "SFI upholds the constitution's basic structure, its progressive and secular values, and denounces both the university circular and the government memorandum. We call on the student community to be alert to any attempts to communalize the campus."