Close X
Saturday, September 21, 2024
ADVT 
International

Diwali and Eid to be declared Holiday in Britain?

Darpan News Desk Darpan, 01 Jun, 2014 02:01 PM
    An online petition to the British House of Commons has urged the politicians to create a bank holiday for Hindu Diwali and Muslim Eid festival in the country, a media report said.
     
    The petition has 119,000 signatures and could be debated in the British parliament as the e-petition with over 100,000 signatures qualifies to be considered in the parliament under the rules of e-petition scheme in 2011, Daily Mail reported Sunday.
     
    The two holidays would be the first non-Christian religious holidays in Britain and could lead to calls from other faiths for their events to also be recognised. 
     
     
    Details of the petition are said to have been passed to the Backbench Business Committee of the British House of Commons, which will consider its suitability for debate.
     
    The petition, titled "Make Eid & Diwali Public Holidays", set up by Jon Timmis said: "I believe that, given the number of Muslims and Hindus in this country it is only fair we allow them to have the most important days in their faiths recognised in law."
     
    Diwali is known as the "Festival of Lights" , while Eid is held at the end of Ramadan when Muslims break their fast. 
     
    The e-petition has sparked widespread debate on internet forums and social media, especially those aimed at British Muslims and Hindus, the report said.
     
    The religious and community leaders have distanced themselves from the idea, it added.
     
    Britain has eight bank holidays every year, the second lowest in the world behind Mexico.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    British Sikhs fined after attack on fellow Sikh

    British Sikhs fined after attack on fellow Sikh
    A British court has ordered three Sikh men to pay 500 pounds each ($832) to a fellow Sikh for a vicious attack near a Sikh temple in the British West Midlands county of Warwickshire, media reported Tuesday.

    British Sikhs fined after attack on fellow Sikh

    Russia calls for settling Ukraine crisis through talks

    Russia calls for settling Ukraine crisis through talks
    Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday that the ongoing Ukraine crisis must be settled via negotiations with representatives of the country's Russian-speaking regions and international mediators.

    Russia calls for settling Ukraine crisis through talks

    Sri Lanka refuses to cooperate with international probe

    Sri Lanka refuses to cooperate with international probe
    The Sri Lankan government Monday refused to cooperate with an international investigation into alleged human rights abuses in the country.

    Sri Lanka refuses to cooperate with international probe

    Prince William on three-week tour with wife, son

    Prince William on three-week tour with wife, son
    Britain's Prince William Monday began a three-week tour to New Zealand and Australia with wife Kate Middleton and son Prince George.

    Prince William on three-week tour with wife, son

    British Sikhs urged to boycott Downing Street reception

    British Sikhs urged to boycott Downing Street reception
    Sikh groups in Britain have urged the community to boycott the annual Downing Street Baisakhi reception by the British prime minister this month to protest against the findings of the government's probe into Operation Bluestar in Amritsar city's Golden Temple in 1984.

    British Sikhs urged to boycott Downing Street reception

    Missing Malaysia Flight MH370: Australian Ship Detects Possible Black Box Signals

    Missing Malaysia Flight MH370: Australian Ship Detects Possible Black Box Signals
     An Australian ship detected two more underwater signals in the southern Indian Ocean, possibly from an airplane black box, in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, an Australian official said Monday.

    Missing Malaysia Flight MH370: Australian Ship Detects Possible Black Box Signals