KMC retracts order to cancel Viswakarma holiday after row
Times of India | 27 February 2025
123 Kolkata: A holiday list for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation-run Hindi medium schools, which cancelled the Viswakarma Puja holiday on Sept 17 to extend Eid-ul-Fitr holidays for two days from March 31 to April 1, was retracted within three hours of being announced on Tuesday after a political furore.
The KMC on Wednesday showcaused Siddhartha Sankar Dhara, chief manager of the KMC education department, asking him to respond within 72 hours on why he issued the order without taking permission from authorities. The notice called the order "an undesirable act leading to spreading misinformation".
Municipal commissioner Dhaval Jain, who issued the showcause notice, said, "The matter has been taken seriously, and necessary action is being initiated against the officer responsible." Member of the mayor-in-council overseeing the KMC education department, Sandipan Saha, said, "The chief manager is in no position to take any policy decision. We need to check what prompted him to take such a decision," Saha said.
BJP state general secretary Jagannath Chattopadhyay said in a video statement that the sentiments of Hindu Bengalis were hurt by the incident. Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "The issue has been clarified (by KMC). It was an individual error. Action has been taken."
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