The state government has cancelled holidays for Makara Sankranti, Mahavir Jayanti, Basaveshwar Jayanthi, Mahalaya Amavasya, Ayudha Pooja and Naraka Chaturdashi for 2008, under the Negotiable Instruments Act, though these holidays are very much available to its own employees.

One fails to understand how the government discriminates between the state government employees and others.  Each holiday excluded has its own significance.
 
Majority of the holidays excluded are of Hindu festivals, which gives us the impression that government is trying to play with the religious sentiments of the people.  The government's decison to cancel the holidays for the Hindu festivals keeping the holidays of other religious festivals intact, throws open questions on the fundamental secular thinking.
 
If the government believes that it is practicing secularism, it should immediately restore the holidays for Hindu festivals under Negotiable Instruments Act.

 
B.N.BHARATH
Bangalore