Patna, Nov 28 (IANS): In what is being perceived as a minority appeasement strategy ahead of the Assembly and the Lok Sabha polls, the Mahagathbandhan government of Bihar has reduced the holidays on Hindu festivals while increasing the same for Muslim festivals.

On Monday evening, the education department issued a leave notification in this regard. Besides, it has also increased the summer vacation by 10 more days.

As per the fresh notification for year 2024, the education department has made mandatory 220 days of studying for the students.

However, the holidays for Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Juha and Muharram were enhanced from 2 days to three.

Even the summer vacation has also increased from 20 days to 30 days for the year 2024.

Holidays for Hartalika Teej, Janmastami, Mahashivratri, Ram Navami, Saraswati Puja, Rakhi, Teej and Jitiya stand cancelled.

Interestingly, the central government announced a holiday on Janmastami, Mahashivratri, Ramnavami, with all central government offices and banks closed every year.

Union minister Giriraj Singh reacted sharply to the development saying Nitish Kumar is working under the agendas of Quran and Sharia law to make Bihar a Muslim state.

"The way this government has sliced the leave of Mahashivratri and Janmastami and enhanced the leave of Eid and Muharram, its appears that Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad who have become Mohammad Nitish Kumar and Mohammad Lalu Prasad Yadav are working on line of Muslim religion," he jibed.

Due to the policies of this government, the population of Muslims in Araria, Purnea, Katihar, Kishanganj and other districts of Seemanchal region has increased now.

The Kumar government has also announced Friday leave in Muslim dominant areas which is also a violation in this secular country," Singh said.

"The Bihar government has taken a Tughlaq decision late on Monday night and sliced the leave of Hindu festivals and enhanced the leave of Muslim festivals. This is an 'anti-Hindu' mindset that Nitish Kumar government has adopted to please the Muslim vote bank. Kumar is thinking that he would get Hindu votes by dividing into castes and lure Muslims by increasing the leave. I want to tell the CM that this mindset would not work in the state. BJP strongly condemns this move and demands an immediate roll back.