Bihar Holiday Row: BJP attacks government on reducing offs on Diwali; Union minister takes dig

NEW DELHI: The Bihar Government’s decision to cancel holidays on Raksha Bandhan, Teej, Jiutia and other 12 holidays have met with criticism from the Opposition.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and union minister Giriraj Singh took to twitter to slam the Nitish Kumar government. He tweeted, “Education department, Bihar, has cancelled Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath Puja holidays. Tomorrow, it is possible that sharia might be implemented and Hindu festival be banned.”

शिक्षा विभाग,बिहार सरकार द्वारा दुर्गा पूजा, दिवाली और छठ पूजा की छुट्टियां रद्द कर दी गई हैं।
कल संभव है कि बिहार में शरिया लागू कर दी जाये और हिंदू त्योहार मनाने पर रोक लग जाये।

— Shandilya Giriraj Singh (@girirajsinghbjp) August 30, 2023

The state education department on Tuesday released a notification with the new holiday schedule. The notification said as per the Right to Education Act, 2009, primary school and middle school have to function for at least 200 and 220 days, respectively, in an academic year. “Due to election duties, law and order situation, holidays, floods and other issues, the academic year is affected. Also, there is no uniformity in granting holidays among the districts. To remove this confusion, the new schedule is being released,” it added.

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As per reports, the education department has revised down the number of holidays in the period September-December from 23 to 11. There will only be a one-day holiday for Diwali on November 12. A one-day holiday for Chitragupta Puja on November 15, and a two-day holiday on November 19 and 20 for Chhath Puja.

Bihar Education Department reduces the number of festive holidays in government schools from 23 to 11 between September to December. pic.twitter.com/Qe6BlAXqh8

— ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2023

Former deputy chief minister Sushil Modi has called the decision indicating signs of anti-Hindu mindset. He questioned the government on the motive of not giving a holiday on Janmasthmi and, reducing the number of leaves during the Diwali and Chhath Puja period.

"This is the sign of anti-Hindu mindset. In Bihar 'Chath' is celebrated in every household... If the schools will open which child will go to school on these festivals? The government should take back its decision without any delay," Sushil Modi told the ANI.

Modi's remarks came after the education department of Bihar government announced the decision to decrease the count of festive holidays in government schools. According to the official announcement, the number of festive holidays for government schools has been revised down to 11, which is a reduction from the previous count of 23 between the months of September and December.

#WATCH बिहार शिक्षा विभाग द्वारा सरकारी स्कूलों में त्योहार की छुट्टियों की संख्या कम करने पर राज्यसभा सांसद और बीजेपी नेता सुशील मोदी ने कहा, "यह हिंदू विरोधी मानसिकता का परिचायक है। बिहार में छठ घर-घर मनाया जाता है...स्कूल खुलेंगे तो इन त्योहारों पर कौन सा बच्चा स्कूल जाएगा?… pic.twitter.com/lnsanhY2iy

— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) August 30, 2023