'Undemocratic': Sivankutty criticises Lok Bhavan’s denial of Christmas leave to staff

Kerala General Education and Labour Minister V Sivankutty on Thursday strongly criticised the decision to hold special programmes at Lok Bhavan on Christmas Day, alleging that employees were effectively denied a holiday.

The remarks came after Lok Bhavan observed Good Governance Day on December 25 to mark the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Sivankutty alleged that staff were asked to report for duty on Christmas, describing the move as "highly objectionable" and contrary to the principles of labour justice.

The minister suggested that the action appeared to follow a broader pattern, citing earlier orders in Uttar Pradesh, including those denying holidays to schools. He added that the subsequent clarification by Lok Bhavan authorities, that participation was optional, was misleading.

"As long as instructions come from senior officials, 'optional' remains only in name," Sivankutty said, adding that asking employees to attend office on a major religious festival was undemocratic. He also stressed that using an internationally celebrated festival for official programmes challenged India’s secular values and called for corrective measures.

Earlier, Lok Bhavan had termed the issue an "unnecessary controversy" and maintained that staff participation in the function was optional.