Mumbai, Feb 22: After Telangana and Andhra Pradesh permitted Muslim government employees to leave offices early during the fasting month of Ramzan, similar demands are now being raised in Maharashtra and other states.

Maharashtra Minority Commission Chairman Pyare Khan confirmed that the commission has received multiple applications requesting the state government to allow Muslim employees to leave work an hour early during Ramzan.

“We have received several requests from people asking for permission to leave offices an hour early during Ramzan. India is a great example of ‘Ganga Jamuna Tehzeeb,’ where people from different communities live together in harmony,” Khan told media.

He added that he plans to present this demand to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis through an official letter.

The demand follows orders issued by the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments, allowing Muslim employees, including teachers and contract workers, to leave work at 4 p.m. instead of the usual 5 p.m. from March 2 to March 30 to perform religious rituals.

“The government hereby permits all the employees who profess Islam, including teachers and persons hired on contract, out-sourcing basis, and Village/Ward Secretaries, to leave their offices/schools early by an hour before closing time on all working days during the Holy month of ‘Ramzan’ to perform necessary rituals,” read the Andhra Pradesh government order.

Similarly, the Telangana government order stated: “Government hereby permits all Muslim government employees/teachers/contract/out-sourcing/boards/corporations and public sector employees working in the state to leave their offices/schools at 4 p.m. during the holy month of Ramzan, i.e., from March 2 to 31, to offer necessary prayers, except when their presence is required due to exigencies of services.”

The demand is also gaining traction in Karnataka, where Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Vice Presidents M.R.M. Hussain and Syed Ahmad recently wrote to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging the state government to grant Muslim employees a one-hour exemption from duty to facilitate prayers and iftar.

However, the Karnataka government has yet to make a decision on the request.

Mumbai: A massive fire broke out in Mumbai’s Marine Lines on Saturday. The blaze rupted on the top floor of a residential building, Marine Chambers. The building is located near Gol Masjid.

The fire broke out at around 12.30 pm on Saturday. After receiving information, several fire tenders reached the spot. Senior officials also rushed to the place where the blaze erupted.

Visuals of the fire also surfaced online. In the video, an envelope of black smoke could seen billowing out of the building. This led to panic among the locals.

A firefighting operation is currently underway.

The reason for the blaze is not yet known. There are no reports of any injuries.

Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has instructed officials to draft a detailed policy for renewing lease agreements between sports clubs and the iconic Oval, Azad, and Cross Maidans. Alongside the lease renewals, he stressed the importance of upgrading basic infrastructure, including the construction of washrooms and changing rooms at each of these grounds.

Pawar chaired a high-level meeting at Mantralaya to discuss the lease renewal process with officials from the revenue, sports, public works (PWD), and urban development departments. The meeting was attended by Sports Minister Dattatray Bharne, Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare, Finance Department Additional Chief Secretary OP Gupta, and BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani.

Maharashtra Deputy CM On Promoting Sports

Reiterating the government’s commitment to promoting sports, Pawar stressed the importance of a well-structured policy that balances the interests of sports clubs and government regulations.

“Encouraging sports and supporting athletes is a priority for this government. All relevant departments must collaborate to frame a fair and comprehensive policy,” he stated.

The Oval, Azad, and Cross Maidans serve as crucial training grounds for thousands of athletes in Mumbai. Managed by the revenue department but leased to sports clubs through the sports department, these grounds host over sixty clubs that provide training facilities to aspiring players. As part of the infrastructure upgrade, Pawar instructed officials to ensure that new washrooms and changing rooms are strategically placed at the corners of the grounds so they do not interfere with sporting activities. He also reinforced that the playgrounds must remain dedicated to sports purposes only. Once finalised, the comprehensive lease renewal policy will be presented before the state cabinet for approval.