E-Paper
Public holiday in HP today, half day in J&K
Sukhu visited the Ram temple in Shimla during the day and also appealed to the people of the state to light earthen lamps at home on the occasion
Himachal chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday announced a public holiday on January 22 in view of the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The Jammu and Kashmir administration also declared a half-day holiday.
Sukhu visited the Ram temple in Shimla during the day and also appealed to the people of the state to light earthen lamps at home on the occasion. A 24 hour ‘akhand path’ began at the temple, which will conclude at 10am on Monday.
“The central government has announced a half-day holiday on January 22, but we are announcing a full-day holiday...,” he told reporters outside the temple.
Apparently referring to the Bharatiya Janata Party, the chief minister further said, “Lord Ram does not belong to a particular political party, he is everyone’s ideal and the culture of the country.”
“I will light a lamp in my house and encourage others to do the same. I will visit the temple in Ayodhya soon,” he said.
Ram statue to come up at Jakhu temple
Sukhu further said that a statue of Lord Ram would be built in Jakhu.
The consecration at the Ram temple in Ayodhya will take place on January 22 and will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries.
“It is hereby ordered that half-day public holiday (till 02:30 pm) shall be observed on January 22 in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” an order issued by commissioner secretary general administration department Sanjeev Verma said.
The UT administration issued the order while referring to the grant of a half-day holiday to central government employees by the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions (department of personnel and training) regarding the consecration event in Ayodhya.
With inputs from PTI
