Panaji: In a decision that could spark nationwide outrage, the BJP government in Goa has dropped Gandhi Jayanti on October 2 from the list of public holidays.
Gandhi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, has not been marked as a holiday in the current year’s calender, released on Saturday.
The decision has triggered strong reactions from a section of legislators in the state.
Interestingly, Gandhi Jayanti disappeared from the list of commercial and industrial holidays released on a day when the Mahatma’s statue was unveiled in London.
Gandhi Jayanti has been celebrated all over the country for decades, with the entire nation gratefully recalling the services of the Mahatma, who led the struggle against the British rule through non-violent means.
Though the government is yet to formally clarify the rationale behind the decision, a senior official from the General Administration Department said it had the approval of government.
Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar was not available for comment on the issue. (PTI)
