Insta
Deepavali And Dussehra To Soon Be Public Holidays In UK? British Parliament To Debate Matter
Swarajya Staff
Oct 18, 2018, 11:47 AM | Updated 11:47 AM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
The British Parliament will be debating whether public holidays should be declared for Hindu and Muslim festivals, The Hindu has reported. The financial costs of public holidays are at the centre of the debate among parliamentarians.
Over 11,000 people have signed a petition on the British Parliament website to declare Deepavali and Dussehra a public holiday. Close to 45,000 people have demanded through the same means that Id Ul Adha and Id Ul Fitr be declared a public holiday.
These demands have been driven by the changing demographics of the former colonial power which bossed over Hindu and Muslim subjects. According to a 2011 census, the United Kingdom has 8,17,000 Hindus (1.5 per cent of the population) and 4.7 million Muslims (4.8 per cent of the population).
The government had rejected both Hindu and Muslim petitions earlier in the year due to considerable financial costs of such holidays. It had pointed out that the cost of 2012 Diamond Jubilee holiday was 1.2 billion British Pounds. The parliament petitions committee has now brought forward the matter for discussion in the house.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Introducing ElectionsHQ + 50 Ground Reports Project
The 2024 elections might seem easy to guess, but there are some important questions that shouldn't be missed.
Do freebies still sway voters? Do people prioritise infrastructure when voting? How will Punjab vote?
The answers to these questions provide great insights into where we, as a country, are headed in the years to come.
Swarajya is starting a project with an aim to do 50 solid ground stories and a smart commentary service on WhatsApp, a one-of-a-kind. We'd love your support during this election season.
Click below to contribute.