The omission of Dussehra from the list of holidays printed in the calendar of the UT Administration has led to a controversy. The festival apparently falls on a Sunday this year. The matter has taken on religious hues after the president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP),Punjab region,Vijay Singh Bhardwaj,said that by omitting the festival from the list,the Administration had played with the sentiments of not only Hindus,but the entire population of Chandigarh,a city known for its secular credentials. Demanding immediate withdrawal of the calendar,he said any delay in the withdrawal would lead to more resentment among the city residents. He said VHP activists would be forced to burn the calendar and protest if it is not withdrawn. More than 60,000 calendars have so far been printed. Reacting to the matter,UT officials took the plea that Dussehra falls on a Sunday,which is a holiday anyway. Director (Public Relations) Manjit Singh Brar said the list of holidays were printed as per an official notification which had Dussehra listed as one of the holidays,but it may have been omitted as it falls on a Sunday. It may,however,be mentioned that several other festivals and important dates which falls on Sundays find a mention in the list. These include Independence Day and Republic Day. Arun Aggarwal,a resident of Sector 47,also expressed dismay over non-inclusion of Dussehra in the calendar,and said that the Administrator must apologise.
