ICC Note:

Christians in India feel that their government is attempting to replace their most important holidays with secular ones. Two years ago, the central government declared December 25th to be Good Governance Day. Recently, the central government has declared this Friday, Good Friday, to be Digital India Day. Christians leaders across India have expressed their concern to the government with some even writing to the central government asking them to move the newly declared holiday. Will India actually show some flexibility or will they continue to try to cover up Christian holidays?

04/13/2017 India (The Citizen) – From Governance Day on Christmas two years ago, the central government has moved to declare April 14 as Digital India Day that is Dr B.R.Ambedkar’s birth anniversary but also Good Friday, observed by Christians across the world.

While the Christian organizations in other states are still mulling over the declaration, the North Eastern states have lodged strong protests making it clear that they will not follow the directive by the central government.

Meghalaya MP Conrad Sangma, whose National Peoples Party helped the BJP form the government in Manipur just last month even though the Congress had secured more seats, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying, “I humbly suggest you to kindly defer the Digital India Day, so that the secular fabric of India remains honored, both in writing and spirit.” He sent the letter on Wednesday but has still to receive a reply.

Sangma, in an interview with The Citizen said that he expected the government to be “sensitive” to this request, as it is an important festival for the Christian community. He said that he was optimistic that the government would be lenient and not make it mandatory for all to participate and work on April 14.

He said that the government had decided to observe Digital India Day on April 14 as it was Dr BR Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, and that Good Friday unlike Christmas did not always fall on the same day. But Sangma admitted, that the dates are generally known well in advance, “I am not sure but perhaps two years earlier” and Good Friday was listed in Indian government calendars accordingly.

Sangma said “we had not expected this to happen. It is a matter of concern. And we hope that the government will make it flexible so that people do not need to attend offices, which will remain open otherwise. It will not be mandatory.” He admitted, “it is a unique situation, and hope the government takes note.”

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