BJP govt facts flak

Panaji: The decision of the BJP government in Goa to drop Gandhi Jayanti from the list of public holidays has triggered strong reactions 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. Even as BJP spokespersons shied away from commenting on the government's decision, a senior party functionary expressed "shock" at the deletion.

Speaking to reporters here, north Goa Bharatiya Janata Party president Michael Lobo said he would take up the issue with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza. "I am shocked by this. You cannot disrespect the Father of the Nation," said Lobo, a legislator from Calangute, a coastal constituency in north Goa. Independent Opposition legislator Vijay Sardesai said, "It is strange that Gandhi’s birthday is being dropped from the list of holidays.

Is this nationalism or the BJP's sense of civility?" he said. Condemning the decision, Goa's lone Rajya Sabha member Shantaram Naik said BJP leaders claim they hold Gandhi in high esteem and started worshipping him in recent times, but actually denigrate him on every available opportunity. When Manohar Parrikar was chief minister of Goa, the government had sought to scrap a few public holidays, including Gandhi Jayanti, Good Friday and Old Goa Feast, but had to give up the move due to public outcry. Meanwhile, responding to criticism after Gandhi Jayanti was excluded from the list of public holidays, the Chief Minister said it could be an act of “mischief” or a “typing mistake”.

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.”