Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for External Affairs, and his ‘tweet’ are in the news again. This time, however, many are likely to agree with him that we should work rather than enjoy a holiday on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.
Most of us spend time watching movies, shopping, etc. By declaring a holiday on October 2, the government is only offering scope to people to do just the opposite of what Gandhiji preached and believed in.
R. Venkataramani ,
Chennai
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I agree with Mr. Tharoor that people should work on Gandhiji’s birthday. His view should be objectively viewed, not treated as another controversy. I think India alone has the distinction of having so many holidays in a year. As a tribute to the Mahatma, why shouldn’t all of us decide to work on his birth anniversary and contribute the day’s salary to the cause of the poor?
Raju Raghavan ,
Chennai
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Our politicians do only what they think can fetch them votes. They find declaring holidays and putting up statues of leaders much easier than exhorting people to follow their ideals. It is also easier for them to lecture on Gandhiji once a year, than follow his teachings.
K.P. Natarajan ,
Madurai
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We should observe October 2 by working and keeping the schools open, not just by honouring Gandhiji’s photos and statues with flowers. Schools and colleges should have special assemblies to remember him on his birth anniversary.
Cajetan Peter D’Souza ,
Mumbai
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Most of the people, I am sure, spend October 2 on outings, watching films, and shopping in malls. Is this the way to remember Bapuji? One billion people wasting a day … can India afford this colossal loss?
There should be no national holidays. We should have national days and people should work without being paid.
All offices, factories, institutions and the like should function and the salary should go to the government’s fund for the poor. People can plant trees, clean the streets, teach the underprivileged, and spread awareness on various issues in the villages. Undertaking such activities would be the best tribute to the Mahatma.
C.K. Sharma ,
Gurgaon
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A holiday on Gandhi Jayanti is no longer meaningful. How many of us think of Gandhiji and his lofty principles on October 2? I am sure his soul would be pained to see people wasting valuable time on his Jayanti.
V. Sethumadhavan ,
Acton
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Mahatma Gandhi was a person who could not sit idle. He wanted every Indian to be self-reliant. His spinning wheel was a symbol of empowerment. On October 2 and other national holidays, people hardly spend the day thinking of our leaders or the cause. For them, it is just a break from their daily schedule.
Neha Paul ,
Patiala
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India is obsessed with holidays. It is time we realised that too many holidays in a developing country affect productivity and growth. The observation of various birth and death anniversaries is meant to appease vote banks. We would be paying a better tribute to our departed leaders if we rededicate ourselves to their ideals.
Ch. Sreenivasa Prasad ,
Visakhapatnam
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Mr. Tharoor is not the first to comment on the paradox of enjoying a holiday on the Mahatma’s birth anniversary. Why should the media read between the lines and create a controversy? It would have been more useful if they had noticed that the Gandhi tweets inspired the youth and contributed towards making Gandhiji the Twitter topic of the day.
Sharon Vinod ,
Alappuzha
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Mr. Tharoor may have a point when he says people should work on Gandhiji’s birth anniversary. But, unfortunately, the great leader is remembered only once a year — on October 2. In the absence of a holiday, it is possible that we will forget him even on that day.
B. Haripriya ,
Hyderabad
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Sure, work is worship. But work does not just mean work in an office. Many of our countrymen have no holiday on October 2 or, for that matter, any other day.
Hospitals, hotels, markets and shops do not close and their employees are required to be present for servicing customers. Armed forces personnel and police are not entitled to holidays except for those ordained by independent regulations. And those in the private employment of Ministers, bureaucrats, politicians, corporate leaders, businessmen and the privileged — like maids, drivers, gardeners, and cooks — do not know of any holiday.
Venkata Rao Vedula ,
Visakhapatnam
