The BJP-led administration in West Bengal has officially reduced the government holidays previously scheduled for Eid-ul-Adha. While the state followed a long-standing practice of granting two days of government leave for the festival over the past fifteen years, the government led by Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari has deviated from this tradition. A special administrative notification issued from Nabanna on Saturday declared that instead of the previously designated May 26 and 27, only May 28—a Thursday—will be observed as an official holiday this year.This new administrative directive has disrupted the traditional festive schedule for the state`s Muslim community.
Official sources within Nabanna claim that the holiday revision was based on the specific calendar date associated with the moon sighting. They argue that because Eid-ul-Adha is traditionally determined by the lunar cycle, Thursday was selected to align with the anticipated date of the festival. However, this holiday reduction has triggered significant political debate throughout the region. Several observers contend that the timing of this decision is not merely about calendar alignment, but rather an expression of a deliberate political stance by the new administration, which has prioritized several controversial policies since assuming power.
Tensions have further escalated due to strict new guidelines regulating the slaughter of livestock ahead of the festival. A government notification issued on May 13 mandated that no cattle can be slaughtered without explicit government authorization, and restricted trade to animals aged at least 14 years. These legal hurdles have brought cattle trading to a standstill in Muslim-majority districts like Murshidabad, Nadia, and North and South 24 Parganas. Fearing legal repercussions and police harassment, buyers have largely avoided cattle markets, directly impacting the livelihoods of small-scale traders and local Hindu farmers who traditionally rely on the festival for significant income.
Many farmers have expressed deep frustration, noting that they depend on annual cattle sales to manage their economic stability. As sales remain stagnant due to these administrative barriers, many are now struggling to manage accumulated debt and are demanding financial compensation from state authorities. The combination of restrictive trade regulations and the reduction of festival holidays has generated substantial social and political friction across the state.
