The Maharashtra government has declared a public holiday on January 22, to observe the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
The choice was made in response to a formal request made by Mangal Prabhat Lodha, a leader of the BJP and state cabinet minister. The state general administration first objected to the motion, claiming that there is no precedent and a public holiday cannot be created for such events. Nonetheless, the request was sent for clearance to the office of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
A ‘half-day’ for all central government offices, institutions, and industrial units across India to commemorate the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple was declared by the Centre one day prior to the demand for a state holiday.
The Eknath Shinde-led government’s decision echoes the instructions from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Goa governments, which declared government offices and educational institutes in these states will be closed.
Private sector banks will remain open as per the Reserve Bank of India’s holiday list, designating it as a working day.
These BJP-led states have also imposed bans, including a prohibition on the sale of liquor or meat and fish to observe the mega event in Ayodhya. Meanwhile, in Tripura, all offices and educational institutions across the state will remain closed until 2:30 pm on January 22.
