Muslim groups in Rajasthan have threatened to move the High Court against a Rajasthan government order for organising blood donation camps in all government and private colleges on 25th September, the birth anniversary of Jan Sangh ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay, saying the dates were likely to coincide with Eid and would mean cancellation of a national holiday for thousands of Muslim employees.
The order, which has drawn sharp reactions from the opposition, also restrains college staff from leaving the college headquarters around the time.
The move has irked Muslim groups who say the dates were likely to coincide with Eid-ul-Zuha or Bakr Eid, which could fall on 24th or 25th September, based on the sighting of the crescent moon.
This is a clear violation of human rights of Muslim employees. Eid-ul-Zuha is the biggest festival for Muslims and an official event that day would deny people from celebrating it, said Salim Engineer, national secretary, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind to Indian Express. Congress also attacked at the BJP saying that the saffron party is damaging the secular fabric of the country.
However the Commissioner, College Education, Rajendra Prasad Sharma said that the no student will be forced to participate in the blood donation exercise. He also said that teaching staff can take leave with permission of the college principal.