NEW DELHI: Central government offices, institutions and industrial establishments across the country will remain closed for half-day until 2.30 pm on January 22 in view of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya.
An office memorandum issued by the department of personnel and training on Thursday said the half-day holiday is meant “to enable employees to participate in the celebrations” to mark the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple.When contacted by TOI, junior minister for personnel Jitendra Singh said “the decision regarding the half-day closure of Central government offices was taken to honour the overwhelming public sentiment”.
TOI has learnt that there were appeals to the government from various quarters — communicated verbally, in writing and through social media — to allow government employees to take part in celebrations and festivities on January 22 by keeping offices shut for the duration of the pran pratishtha event.
The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of the new idol of Ram Lalla at the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple is to be performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will be livestreamed between 11 am and 1 pm on Monday.
An office memorandum issued by the department of personnel and training on Thursday said the half-day holiday is meant “to enable employees to participate in the celebrations” to mark the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple.When contacted by TOI, junior minister for personnel Jitendra Singh said “the decision regarding the half-day closure of Central government offices was taken to honour the overwhelming public sentiment”.
TOI has learnt that there were appeals to the government from various quarters — communicated verbally, in writing and through social media — to allow government employees to take part in celebrations and festivities on January 22 by keeping offices shut for the duration of the pran pratishtha event.
The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of the new idol of Ram Lalla at the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple is to be performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will be livestreamed between 11 am and 1 pm on Monday.