The Shawwal crescent that signals the end of Ramadan has not been spotted in the UAE. The holy month will thus last the full 30 days, with Tuesday being the last day of Ramadan. Islamic festival Eid Al Fitr will fall on Wednesday, April 10. This means public and private sector employees get a nine-day break including the weekends.

The UAE’s moon-sighting committee had asked Muslims across the country to search the skies for the crescent. Like all months in the Islamic Hijri calendar, Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state president, took everyone by surprise on Friday when he sang the RSS anthem during a discussion in the state Assembly on the stampede near Chinnaswamy stadium, which claimed the lives of 11 people.

A sudden musical note amazed the House, which heard the first few lines of the RSS Anthem ‘Namaste Sada Vatsale Matrubhoome’.

Shivakumar’s recital came when the BJP legislators accused Shivakumar of being an ‘abettor’ of the stampede as he created mass frenzy.

They alleged that Shivakumar went to receive the RCB team on their arrival at the Bengaluru airport, waved the Kannada flag throughout the journey from the airport to the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Replying to the accusations, Shivakumar said, "I am a member of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and people there, including the KSCA secretary, are my friends. I am the Bengaluru In-Charge Minister. I had gone to the Airport and Stadium (on June 4). I also held the Karnataka flag, I did wish them (RCB) and I kissed the cup as well. I have done my job".

He added, "The accident happened. Such things have happened in other states as well. If needed, I will read out the list of incidents that have occurred in other places as well. I, too, have many things to say about you as well".

The Deputy CM also said he grew up with Home Minister G Parameshwara.

To this, Leader of the Opposition BJP R Ashoka reminded Shivakumar that he once said he wore ‘RSS Chaddi’.

Much to the amusement of the House, Shivakumar sang ‘Namaste Sada Vatsale Matrubhoome......’.

The opposition welcomed the anthem by thumping the table but there was an absolute silence in the Congress camp.

The BJP legislator V Sunil Kumar quipped, saying, "Hope these lines are not removed from the records".

Shivakumar sought to know did the governments ever take responsibility whenever such incidents took place.

"You should feel proud that this government quickly (after the stampede) acted and initiated action against police officers and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru," he said.