Vishwakarma Puja Holiday Change: Kolkata Municipal Corporation Issues Clarification

Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) recently faced backlash over a decision to add an extra holiday for Eid-ul-Fitr by removing the holiday for Vishwakarma Puja in Hindi medium KMCP schools. However, the KMC has now clarified that this notice was issued without approval from the competent authority.

On February 25, a new notice was released by the municipal commissioner stating that the previous order had been canceled. It also mentioned that strict action would be taken against the responsible officer. KMC assured that a revised order will be issued soon, following the state government’s official holiday list. Authorities also urged people not to spread misinformation about the issue.

Controversy Over Holiday Changes

On Tuesday, Siddharth Dhara, Chief Manager of KMC’s education department, issued a notification adjusting holidays. It declared that Eid-ul-Fitr holidays would be on March 31 and April 1, and the Vishwakarma Puja holiday on September 17 would be removed to compensate for this extension. This led to strong criticism, with BJP leaders accusing KMC Mayor Firhad Hakim of appeasement.

West Bengal BJP General Secretary Jagannath Chattopadhyay criticized the decision and linked it to previous remarks made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Many BJP leaders took to social media to express their dissatisfaction.

KMC Takes Action

Kolkata Municipal Commissioner Dhabal Jain later confirmed that the directive was issued without higher approval. He ordered an inquiry and directed the Chief Manager of Education to respond within three days.

Sandipan Saha, KMC’s education department head, clarified that school holidays are determined based on the state government’s list. He assured that disciplinary action would be taken against those responsible for this misstep.