October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, is a national holiday.
The BJP-led coalition government in Goa has come under fire for allegedly scrapping the holiday given on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti -- the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The national holiday was not included in the official gazette for holidays, which is released in March.
While the opposition Congress dubbed it "communal politics", Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar called the content of the notification erroneous and blamed the Congress for mischief.
"The government has no intention of dropping Gandhi Jayanti as a holiday. If it has happened it was either by mistake or mischief by the Congress. There is an election (zilla panchayat) election in Goa, the Congress will go to any level to create a controversy," Mr Parsekar told reporters.
Sources in the government had earlier told NDTV the matter was a "printing mistake" and a clarification would be issued soon.
In 2004 too, the BJP government in Goa had made an attempt to scrap the holiday but had to back out after a concerted attack by the opposition.
This time too, the Congress has severely criticized the government. "They can't do it. It is a national holiday and no state government can change it. But last year too, the Centre showed disrespect by handing out brooms," said Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma.
Last year, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ordered a full working day for all government employees while flagging off the Clean India campaign. He said a Clean India was the "best tribute" to the Mahatma and it was his dream to clean up the country by 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation.
There, however, were several red faces in the BJP -- both at the state and the national level.
The party chief of North Goa, Michael Lobo, said he would take up the issue with Mr Parsekar and Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza. "I am shocked. You cannot disrespect the Father of the Nation," said Lobo, a legislator from Calangute, a coastal constituency in north Goa.
Meanwhile, Mahatma Gandhi's great grandson Tushar Gandhi welcomed the move to make October 2 a working day. "If the Goa government has canceled the holiday I will congratulate them. I believe 2nd October should not be a holiday, there should be additional work. Celebrate Bapu's birthday as Janseva Day," he said.