Daman and Dadra administration withdraws ‘rakhi’ order for women employees after adverse reaction

A DAY after issuing a controversial notification asking all women employees of the Union Territories of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli to tie rakhis to their men colleagues, the administration withdrew the circular on Wednesday following adverse reaction from both the staff and the public at large. The offices, as a result, will now remain closed. Tuesday’s notification issued by the administrative department — both UTs have the same Administrator — stated that “all offices and departments” will remain open on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan on Monday (August 7). “(The employees will) celebrate the festival collectively at a suitable time, wherein all lady staff shall tie rakhi to their (male) colleagues,” it read.

The administration had also made it compulsory for the staff to be present in their offices, asking for an attendance report to be prepared by 5 pm that day. The notification was withdrawn on Wednesday evening by the administrative department following opposition from several quarters, including the staff themselves and the local unit of the Congress party. The Congress party’s Daman unit president, Ketan Patel, said on Wednesday, “We (Daman locals) celebrate this festival as Nariyel Purnima. This day has its special significance among the fishermen community of Daman.”

Calling it a “ridiculous decision”, Patel said, “We opposed the notification and finally the administration decided to withdraw it. Everyone is happy now.” The Union Territory’s Administrator, Praful Patel, said, “On the day of Raksha Bandhan, the fishermen community of Daman celebrates with a fishing utsav. They pray in the sea, and women offer coconuts to the sea along with their prayers. Keeping in mind the feelings of the people, for the first time we had decided to celebrate this day by getting the women staff tie rakhis to their colleagues.”

Stating that the administration “did nothing wrong, and our motive was good”, Praful Patel said, “But there were many representations against this (decision), so we decided to withdraw the notification.” The UTs come under the administrative control of the Union Home Ministry.