Public holiday sought on Kabir Jayanti

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Amritsar, January 1

The state government’s move to reduce the number of gazetted holidays has not gone down well with many groups. Leaders of the SAD and the SGPC have in the past criticised the government for keeping a few occasions off the list.

Now, a local group, Shiromani Bhagat Kabir Youth Society, has joined the bandwagon and threatened to stage a protest if Kabir Jayanti is not declared as a gazetted holiday.

Society president Kishan Lal Babba said, “The government’s decision is condemnable. Bhagat Kabir’s work is included in Guru Granth Sahib. It is unjustified that the government cannot spare even a day to remember him.”

He demanded that respecting the sentiments of Kabir Panthi community, the government should include the day in the list of gazetted holidays.

A few groups are unhappy over the government’s decision to reduce public holidays from 37 to 18 in the previous year. “It has occurred on at least three occasions when government offices had very long weekends. If there is a holiday on Thursday most employees tend to take a leave on Friday and as a result public work gets affected,” said Jagtar Singh, a resident.

Due to long list of holidays in the state, even the educational institutions get less number of teaching days.