Letters to the EDITOR: Cultural recognition: Bihu festivals deserve attention

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Cultural recognition: Bihu festivals deserve attention

I wish to address a matter of significant concern that has recently come to light regarding the recognition of cultural festivities in our region. The recent revelation that Rongali Bihu, a paramount festival of Assam, does not feature among the designated local holidays for Central Government offices, including the Department of Posts in Assam Circle, is disheartening. According to regulations, three local holidays are to be designated at the circle/state level by local authorities through a Welfare Coordination Committee of the Central Government offices in Assam. It is our firm belief that two of these holidays should be exclusively earmarked for Magh Bihu and Bohag Bihu, given their cultural significance to the people of Assam. However, it appears that those responsible for decision-making, who may not hail from our state, fail to grasp the importance of these festivals and the profound national sentiment attached to them. Despite timely efforts by the unions to address this issue, it is disheartening to see it being flatly denied this time. With nearly 4,200 offices and approximately 15,000 employees under the Department of Posts in Assam Circle, the neglect by the authorities in the Welfare Committee has left the workforce disheartened and may lead to potential unrest. In light of this, the demand to declare Bohag Bihu a local holiday on either April 13 or April 15 has been directly communicated to the Welfare Coordination Committee. As a last resort, organisations have resolved to appeal to the Chief Minister of Assam to intervene, urging for the declaration of either April 13 or 15 as a local holiday for Bohag Bihu, even if it means omitting another day from the holiday list for the year 2024 for postal employees in Assam Circle. It is imperative that our cultural traditions and sentiments are respected and acknowledged, particularly in matters as significant as public holidays. We trust that the appropriate authorities will give due consideration to this matter and take the necessary action to address the concerns raised by the postal employees' unions in Assam.

Ankita Dutta,

Centre for Studies in Journalism and Mass Communication,

Dibrugarh University