Goa minister opposes 'no holiday' on Christmas

Picking holes in the NDA government's decision to observe Dec 25 as 'Good Governance Day', state Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar Tuesday said Goa, with its mixed Hindu-Christian heritage, deserves a holiday on Christmas Day.

The state government was willing to go all out and implement the 'Good Governance Day' initiative, but such a thing was not possible in Goa on Christmas Day, Parulekar told media here.

"Since our childhood we have seen that even Hindu brothers make a crib in their yard. If you really want to celebrate it, visit each others' homes, then you need a holiday, right," said Parulekar at the Tourism Bhavan here.

The National Democratic Alliance government has unveiled a nationwide initiative to promote Dec 25, which is also the birthday of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as Good Governance Day.

As part of the initiative, ministers as well as bureaucrats are expected to attend office -- even if for a few hours -- even as the central government is expected to work out an agenda to be followed on the day.

The initiative has, however, resulted in a lot of opposition, especially from minority organisations, which have accused the BJP-led coalition government of trying to hurt the sentiment of Christians who celebrate Christmas Dec 25.

Parulekar claims that Goa, which has a Christian population of 26 percent, should be exempted from the central government's Good Governance Day plans on Christmas Day.

"We should get a holiday. We are Goans, whether Catholic or Hindu. We celebrate our main festivals with each other and they have said that they should come (to work)," Parulekar said.

Parulekar also said that he was yet to hear from Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on this issue and that a decision would be taken soon.