the goan I network
PANAJI
The Goa-based Nationalist Catholic Front (NCF) has commended the Bombay High Court for directing the administration of the Union Territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, to declare Good Friday as a gazetted holiday.
“We are extremely grateful that the two-Judge Bench comprising Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Justice N M Jamdar upheld the multicultural fabric of the Republic of India and secular credentials of this multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious nation,” stated NCF President Edwin Fonseca in a press note.
“We commend Anthony Duarte for the courage he showed in filing the PIL before the High Court, which came up for hearing on April 11 and then again on April 15, where it was disposed of.”
“The honourable justices did not uphold the argument of the State Counsel, who opined that the public holiday could not be implemented in a short time. Given the importance of the festival to Christians, the honourable justices directed the Administrator to declare Good Friday as a gazetted holiday, once again,” Fonseca added.
The NCF also commended the Catholic Bishops Conference of India and the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman for supporting the petition.
“We believe that India can progress only as a secular and plural nation. Single nation countries are neither possible nor desirable, and we can only prosper with the contribution of all communities, which should be given the freedom to practice their religion, as enshrined in the Constitution of India,” the NCF stated.
