Lok Bhavan Cancels Christmas Holiday for Vajpayee Centenary

Thiruvananthapuram: A recent directive from the Controller at Lok Bhavan, Kerala, cancelling the traditional Christmas holiday and mandating staff attendance for former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary, has sparked a heated political debate over the alleged 'saffronisation' of administrative spaces.

The move is widely seen as an effort by the BJP and RSS to replicate a 'UP model' in Kerala, a state celebrated for its secular traditions and inclusive festive breaks. While much of Kerala observes a ten-day holiday during Christmas, the circular issued on December 24 insists on participation in the centenary celebrations of Vajpayee. Observers note that similar orders have recently emerged in Uttar Pradesh, where schools were directed to remain open on December 25.

Critics and state leaders argue that leveraging the Governor’s office to override local cultural norms amounts to a deliberate ideological exercise. They warn that such measures are being used to test the waters for more centralized, politically driven governance in the southern state.

The controversy underscores an emerging regional rift, as the state government seeks to protect its multicultural traditions from what it perceives as top-down directives aligned with the Sangh Parivar’s agenda. The Lok Bhavan order, critics argue, transforms a day of communal celebration into a stage for political contestation, raising concerns over the politicisation of public institutions and the erosion of Kerala’s inclusive cultural fabric.