Government diluting importance of Oct 2: Justice Sachar

Retired Justice Rajinder Sachar Tuesday said the government is diluting Oct 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, by linking it to just a cleanliness drive.

A statement issued by Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR), Delhi, quoting Sachar, said: "Any tinkering with grandeur and sobriety of 2nd October is sacrilege. But this is what Modi government is doing by emphasizing the day as a day of cleanliness.

"The programmes associated with the birthday (of Mahatma Gandhi) must not be diluted by this so called fad of cleanliness day. Cleanliness has to be actually maintained and not by unnecessarily calling to duty all the government servants and make them go through the hypocrisy of arranged photo opportunity item.

"I would therefore strongly demand that government should observe Gandhiji's birthday in the same sober, respectful manner as before," said Sachar.

He said government servants and ministers who have been called should repeat what was Gandhi's main philosophy: "I would say that Hindus and Muslims are the two eyes of mother India just as the trouble in one eye affects the other too, similarly the whole of India suffer when either Hindu or Muslim suffer".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet programme "Swachh Bharat" for a clean India is being launched Oct 2.