Britain may soon have Muslim bank holidays: Parliament petition urges MPs to consider having a day off during Hindu and Islam festivals

• Online petition requesting day off for Eid and Diwali has 119,000 signatures
• Under rules topic has to be debated in parliament once it reaches 100,000
• Would be first non-Christian religious holidays to be marked 
• Has angered nationalists who complain St George's day is ignored 


An online petition urging politicians to create a bank holiday for Hindu festival Diwali and Muslim celebration Eid has attracted more than 119,000 signatures and could be debated in the House of Commons.



If applied, it would be the first non-Christian religious holidays in Britain and could lead to calls from other faiths for their events to also be recognised. 


As the e-petition has reached 100,000 signatures it has to be considered in parliament under rules set up in 2011. 



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Plea: A petition to the House of Commons has urged politicians to consider having a bank holiday for the Hindu festival of Diwali and the Muslim celebration, Eid


Nationalists have complained that St George’s Day and St David’s Day are not holidays but an e-petition calling for these days to be marked has only 34 signatures.


Diwali is described as the 'Festival of Lights' and is celebrated by Hindus in the Autumn while Eid is held at the end of Ramadan when Muslims break their fast. 
Details of the petition are said to have been passed to the Backbench Business Committee, which will ­consider its suitability for debate.


Set up by Jon Timmis, it states: 'I believe that, given the number of Muslims and Hindus in this country it is only fair we allow them to have the most important days in their faiths recognised in law.'



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Backing: The petition was set up by Jon Timmis and has attracted 119, 605 signatures


The e-petition has sparked widespread debate on internet forums and social media, especially those aimed at British ­Muslims and Hindus. While religious and community leaders have ­distanced themselves from the idea, popular opinion is evenly split.


Vinod Popat, chairman of The ­British Hindu Voice, told the Sunday Express: 'I don’t think it is a very good idea. How many festivals are there for other religions. Should they all be marked with a ­public holiday?'


He also pointed out that Diwali is set on a lunar calender, so would fall on a different day every year. 
David Jones said on Twitter: 'Now Parliament want to introduce public bank holidays for muslims and hindu's- this is the UK don't like it leave.'


Critics have also suggested there are enough problems with Easter, which can take place any time over a four-week period as its timing depends on the full moon and spring equinox.


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However, Suleman Nagdi, of the Federation of Muslim Organisations in Leicester, told the paper: 'Any move to recognise other faiths is a good thing but I do not think there should be a public holiday.'


Graham Smith, who launched the St George Unofficial Bank Holiday campaign, has accused recent Labour and Conservative governments of anti-English bias.


He said: 'They just don’t seem to want to grasp English nationalism, they are afraid of it for some reason.'
Britiain has eight days of bank holidays every year, the second lowest in the world behind Mexico.