No Onam during duty hours: Kerala government's diktat to state-run offices

Unfazed by protests of opposition parties and rival service organisations, the Communist Party of India-Marxist-led Left Democratic Front government in Kerala has restricted Onam festivities in state-run offices and institutions during working hours.

The government order, issued in this regard on Tuesday evening, made it clear that the festivities should not be conducted during office hours.

The official Onam celebrations of this year would begin on September 12 and the festivities should be conducted without causing any difficulties to public and affecting the operations of the office, it said.

"The government is of the view that it is appropriate to avoid conducting celebrations in offices as it affects work there.

"The celebrations should be arranged in such a manner that it should not effect the work and not cause any difficulties to public," the order, issued by the Chief Secretary S M Vijayanand said.

The chief secretary also asked all department heads to initiate strict action to ensure implementation of the order.

Triggering heated debates, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said in a Facebook post last week that it was not appropriate and proper that Onam festivities, including laying of pookalams (floral carpets), are held state-run institutions during office hours.

He had also suggested that the celebrations could instead be held on holidays or after the office hours.

"Not only Onam, for that matter, any festival celebrations should be held without affecting the functioning of office work. In this matter, government would ensure its intervention," he wrote on the social networking site.

Vijayan also warned against buying and selling of various articles on office premises during the festive season and said it would be restricted as these activities consume a major chunk of work hours.

Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front and the Bharatiya Janata Party had come out criticising the chief minister's direction to regulate Onam festivities.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala criticised Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the directive.

“Government officers cannot celebrate Onam during working hours, but the chief minister himself will celebrate it at Rashtrapati Bhavan on a working day on one of these days,” Chennithala remarked.

The Kerala government is set to host Onam celebrations at Rashtrapati Bhavan on September 3, an event which will witness President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice-President Hamid Ansari in presence.

The Kerala CM, MPs, MLAs and chief secretary will take part in the celebration to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan along with their families during working hours.