Mumbai: The Mumbai High Court on Monday directed the administration of the Centrally-administered Union territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli to declare Good Friday as a gazetted Holiday.
“We are happy that the two Judge Bench of the Mumbai High Court comprising of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice N.M. Jamdar has directed the Administration of the Centrally administered Union territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli to declare Good Friday as a gazetted Holiday,” said Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, SFX, Secretary General, CBCI.
It may be recalled that the administration of the Union Territories (UTs) of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu by way of notifications had declared that ‘Good Friday’ in the year 2019 would cease to be a compulsory/ gazetted holiday and would remain an optional/restricted holiday.
The Christian community and the citizenry at large in these UTs were pained and anguished by the cancellation of a holiday on Good Friday which is held sacred by them. All public institutions including schools and colleges would have to necessarily remain open on April 19, 2019.
Representing the community, Mr. Anthony Francisco Duarte from Moti Daman, Daman had filed a public interest writ petition in the Bombay High Court to challenge the said notifications issued by the administration which came up for hearing on April 11, 2019.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) along with the ADF (Alliance Defending Freedom) and the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman had actively supported the petition.
Mr Haresh Jagtiani Sr Advocate appeared for Petitioner. The Chief Justice was quick to put the question to the counsel for respondents as to how the decision was taken. His only answer was that since Christian population was small, the impact would not be as much. The Chief Justice was not satisfied and Mr Jagtiani was quick to rebut that such ground was against the secular principles of the country.
He directed the respondents to file a reply. The matter was relisted on Monday, 15th April, 2019. The matter was taken up again on 15th April, 2019 for hearing. The state counsel expressed their inability to implement Good Friday as a public holiday within a short span of time. The Hon’ble Court noting the importance of Christian festivals for all and sundry in the country, thought it just and expedient, in spite of the short duration of time to April 19, 2019 deemed it fit to direct the administrator to declare Good Friday as a gazetted holiday.
“We are grateful to Mr. Anthony Francisco Duarte from Moti Daman, Daman for his courage in coming forward when most people were fearing to venture into the battle. We thank Mr Haresh Jagtiani Sr Advocate, the ADF and the Archdiocese for the support provided to the petition. We also appreciate gratefully the dedicated efforts of Fr. Tony Lopes, SFX, working in the Mission of Daman. We are deeply grateful to all those who prayed for the success of this petition. We believe this is the Gift of God to the Christian Community during this Holy week,” Bishop Theodore added.
Thanks for maintaing secularism