Further to the post which appeared on the social media on Tuesday 04 April 2023 of highly communal nature with regard to the fact that no permission was granted to Honourable Members of Muslim faith to break their fast, the Mauritius National Assembly re-iterates that it recognises the right of all Honourable Members to practice their faith according to the Constitution which guarantees the freedom of citizens to practise their religion.

In this context, the Mauritius National Assembly wishes to emphasise that it has never been the practice for Honourable Members to seek and obtain the prior permission of the Speaker to perform any rite according to their religious conviction. It is also to be noted that the presence of Honourable Members in the Mauritius National Assembly is not subject to the control of the Speaker and, for that matter, the Honourable Member who authored the post was not required to seek and obtain the permission of the Speaker to break his fast.

Moreover, with regard to another post on the social media authored by another Honourable Member regarding the fact that it is the first time in parliamentary history that no arrangements have been made for the Honourable Members to break their fast, the Mauritius National Assembly wishes to inform the public that same is not true.

The Mauritius National Assembly wishes to highlight that such remarks on the social media coming from Honourable Members are highly condemnable inasmuch as same are likely to arouse communal tension and undermine the peaceful co-existence of the citizens in the country.

The Mauritius National Assembly hereby appeal to all Honourable Members not to indulge in such demagogical acts.

Mauritius National Assembly

Parliament House

Port Louis

05 April 2023