UP government led by Yogi Adityanath deserves all compliments for taking a bold step to abolish fifteen holidays relating to birth and death anniversaries of certain people in the state. These holidays were started by earlier BSP and SP governments just for appeasing certain sections of people. But still there is scope for curtailing more such holidays in a state where culture of ever-mushrooming holidays just for vote-bank politics ruined work-culture. Logic given by UP government that extra time should rather be spent on such abolished holidays to educate great work of these eminent personalities honoured through now abolished holidays, needs to be adopted by central government.
Retaining Gandhi Jayanti in list of compulsory holidays, is against ideals of Father of the Nation who always asked countrymen for hard work. Instead 2nd October should be converted into extra work-day by extending working in offices by say half an hour on this day. It is practically a holiday meant for politicians when leaders go to Rajghat in New Delhi in the morning as ritual for offering flowers on Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, which can also be done by having Gandhi Jayanti an Extra-Work-Day. It may be recalled that Union government kept its offices open on 2nd October 2014 to commemorate birth-anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in a more meaningful manner towards a Clean-India movement.
Likewise close-days on 14th April for birth-anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar can also be turned into Extra-Work-Day. Concept of extra-work-day then can be extended to ideally celebrate birthdays of other great persons also apart from those of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr BR Ambedkar.
SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL