SILCHAR, June 24 - Echoing strong sentiments against the Government�s decision to curtail the number of Durga Puja holidays for Barak Valley from the academic calender and also cancellation of holiday on the birth anniversary of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, citizens of Barak Valley have decided to register their collective protest outside the office of the Inspector of Schools, Cachar on�June 28.
This was decided at a citizens� meet convened by the All Cachar Karimganj Hailakandi Students� Association (ACKHSA) at the Madhya Sahar Sanskritik Samiti Hall.�
Members of various other organisations and associations, including leading citizens of the Valley unanimously agreed to support a 12-hour Barak bandh on�June 29�called by ACKHSA to give vent to their anger and disappointment on the decision to lessen the number of Durga Puja holidays to mere four days.�
�We never wanted a 30-day summer break. But Durga Puja is the biggest annual festival here, so the decision to scrap holidays on Sabbebarat and also on Tagore�s birthday is unacceptable. We condemn the autocratic decison imposed on us by the Government,� said Rupam Nandi Purakayastha, chief adviser of the students� body. He added that the Government should retain the previous list of holidays as the new list has hurt the sentiments of the people here.
