PANAJI:
Controversy erupted over scrapping by Goa Government of Gandhi Jayanti on October 2 from the list of public holidays but Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar later said it could be an act of “mischief” or a “typing mistake”.
Gandhi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, was not marked as a holiday in the current year’s calender, released yesterday, triggering strong reaction with Congress terming it as an “anti-national” act.
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.
Strongly opposing the BJP-ruled state’s decision, senior Congress leader P C Chacko said, “BJP’s mindset is a very sick mindset. … Can any State Government take a decision like this? This kind of decision they have taken is anti-national.”
He said the Central Government “should immediately direct the State Government to correct this. I am still in shock after hearing about this. No Government in India has the right to do that. This is a very senseless decision which they have taken.”
His party colleague and Congress spokesman Anand Sharma also said no State Government can do it because it is a national holiday.
“They can’t do it. Gandhi is the father of nation. Even last year children were asked to go to school on October 2,” Sharma said. (AGENCIES)
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