By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: The Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar has finally acceded to the teachers’ demands for extended holidays during the Chhath festival. An official order has now been issued to close all schools in the state from 6th to 9th November in observance of the festival. This decision follows reports of dissatisfaction among teachers over the reduction in holiday days for Chhath.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Bihar’s Education Minister, Sunil Kumar, reassured the public, stating that the Nitish Kumar government is committed to fairness. “No injustice will be done to anyone,” he said, emphasising that the government was attentive to the concerns of the teachers’ unions.
Earlier in the day, Sunil Kumar had affirmed that the state government was seriously considering the teachers’ demands. He mentioned ongoing discussions with departmental officials to arrive at a fair solution. Shortly after his morning briefing, the government issued the formal order for school closures later in the evening.
This year, the holiday schedule has been altered, with teachers initially receiving one day off for Diwali and two days for Chhath. In contrast, teachers argued that in previous years, schools typically remained closed from Diwali until after Chhath, allowing them time off for the entire festive period. This year, there were no holidays allocated for important Chhath days like Nahai-Khai and Kharna, leading to discontent.
The Chhath holiday issue has sparked political debate in the state. While the opposition has criticised the government for the reduced holidays, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has shifted the blame back onto the opposition. BJP leaders pointed out that the current holiday calendar was implemented during the tenure of the Mahagathbandhan government, when both the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress were in power. As such, they argue, the opposition has no grounds to criticise the current government on this matter.
