Declare January 22 public holiday, JD(U) MP demands in Lok Sabha

New Delhi, February 10

A Janata Dal (United) MP, Santosh Kumar Pintoo, on Saturday asked the government to declare January 22 a public holiday to mark the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of the new idol of Ram Lalla at the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was held on January 22 last year, and the puja was performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Participating in the debate on the Ram Temple in Lok Sabha,  he said January 22 is a historical day and it should be declared a public holiday. He also expressed hope that an equally grand temple would be built at the birthplace of goddess Sita.

“Ram is incomplete without Sita and a grand temple should be constructed at the birthplace of Mata Sita in Bihar,” Pintoo said.

In a veiled attack on ruling BJP, Arvind Sawant (SS-Uddhav) said there is a need to follow the principles of Lord Ram and one should not stab at the back of others for the sake of getting power.

Amol Ramsing Kolhe (NCP) said Lord Ram should not be politicised, and politics and religion should always remain at an arm’s length.

He also demanded early completion of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Smarak located in the Arabian Sea, near the coast of Mumbai. The foundation stone was laid by the prime minister in 2016 but it is still not complete, he said.