Despite strong public demand for declaring a public holiday on Friday to mark the native festival of Igas (Budhi Diwali), the State administration has not declared a holiday. Further, the administration has stated that an FIR will be lodged after a fake official letter declaring a public holiday on the festival was spread on the social media on Thursday.
It is pertinent to mention that there had been a rising demand for declaring a public holiday on Igas, a traditional festival of Uttarakhand. The demand gained momentum after the State Government declared a public holiday on the occasion of Chhath celebrated mainly by natives of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Some public representatives and politicians also supported the demand for declaring a public holiday on Friday. On Thursday a letter was spread on the social media stating that the state administration had declared a public holiday on Friday.
However, later, additional chief secretary Radha Raturi issued a letter stating that a fake official letter about public holiday on Igas had gone viral on WhatsApp, creating confusion in the State.
Many citizens and employees were seeking information regarding this fake letter, which was hampering official works. “It is being clarified in public interest that no holiday has been declared on November 8.
The letter which went viral is fake and an FIR is being lodged regarding it,” stated the letter issued by Raturi.
Meanwhile, Vidhan Sabha speaker Prem Chand Agrawal said that he would celebrate Igas in the native village of ailing Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni- Nakot in Pauri district. Earlier, BJP national spokesman Sambit Patra had also said that he would celebrate Igas in Baluni’s village as the MP is undergoing treatment and unable to visit his village.