U Nu also led the passing of the State Religion Promotion Act of 1961 by parliament, which made Buddhism the state religion (though this did not last long). It also made the uposatha days public holidays, required government schools to teach Buddhist students the Buddhist scriptures, banned cattle slaughter, and commuted some death sentences. While U Nu was overthrown as prime minister by Ne Win (who undid some of U Nu's religious policies) in 1962, he continued to travel and to teach Buddhism and remained an important Burmese spiritual leader and literary figure.