“Ambedkar Would’ve Wanted People To Work Hard Instead Of Holiday On His Anniversary”: Madras HC

The Madras High Court recently remarked that Dr Ambedkar would have wanted people to work hard instead of declaring public holiday on his birth anniversary.

A single bench of Justice GR Swaminathan of the Madurai bench made the remarked while disposing a petition filed by members of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Employees Union, seeking ‘double wages’ for having had to work on 14th April, 2018, a declared holiday.

The bench further stated that while the state had declared April 14th, Ambedkar Jayanti, a public holiday as a mark of respect for citizens’ sentiments, Dr. Ambedkar himself would have preferred that people work more.

“Public servants are like school children. Grant of holidays and exemption from work are always welcome,” it remarked.

Despite the fact that the Court ordered the project director to pay the claimed monetary benefits, it stated,

“Dr Ambedkar was someone who would have wanted people to work hard instead of declaring a holiday on his anniversary. We followed a system of sentiments and symbolism and believing in courtesy instead of efficiency,” Justice Swaminathan stated.

The single bench stated that the country was very concerned with symbolism and sentiments.

“Courtesy rather than efficiency is our hallmark. Like Bharat Ratna Shri. APJ Abdul Kalam, he (Ambedkar) too would have said don’t declare holiday on my death, instead work an extra day, if you love me,” the bench added.