Panaji, March 25 (IANS) Defying Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan and BJP's controversial diktat to observe Christmas (December 25) as 'Good Governance Day', the saffron party's alliance government in Goa said it has taken no specific decision on the matter.
This was stated by Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar in a written reply to an unstarred question tabled on Tuesday during the ongoing budget session of the state legislative assembly.
Asked by Independent legislator Vijai Sardesai whether the Goa government will celebrate December 25 as a Good Governance Day in 2015 and subsequent years, Parsekar specifically said: "No decision in this matter has been taken."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had in December last year, unveiled a nationwide initiative to mark former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birthday on December 25 as 'Good Governance Day'.
As part of the initiative, the BJP's central leadership had asked the bureaucrats in BJP-ruled states to report to work, even if for a few hours and follow a work protocol prepared by the central government.
This move, which came on the heels of Union human resource ministry's oblique attempt at the time, to get students to attend school on December 25, had resulted triggered nationwide opposition, especially from minority organisations, which accused the BJP-led coalition of trying to hurt the sentiment of Christians who celebrate Christmas on December 25.
This pressure had also forced the BJP-led coalition government in Goa, a state where Christians account for more than 26 percent of the population, to drop the Good Governance Day agenda altogether, with Parsekar refusing to follow the prime minister's line in 2014.
"We have informed our High Command that we will be unable to observe Good Governance Day on December 25. But we will do it (conduct programmes as per the central government initiative) before and after that day..." Parsekar had said.
Rural women of Haryana reached Delhi for lunch at the invitation of former Congress President Rah
The mini-auction for the 14th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will take place in Chenna
The investigation committee has recorded the statements of 147 people in the stampede case during
Voters participated enthusiastically in the biggest celebration of democracy not only in the
Incidents of violence have again come to the fore in Manipur. The mob set ablaze a godown near th
The Prime Minister has arrived on his two-day visit to Japan. Here, he will participate in the 15
Karnataka student murder case: NCPCR president said- such teachers are a danger to students
In the case of a student being lynched by a teacher in Karnataka, the NCPCR president said it is
The Indian Air Force is equipping Sukhoi (SU-30) fighter jets with new missiles to give a befitti
Infinix InBook X1 Neo: This slim laptop launched in India is specially designed for students
Infinix InBook X1 Neo Specifications: Infinix has launched a new laptop Infinix InBook X1 Neo in
There was firing outside the house of famous YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT winner Elvish Yadav yeste
