Delhi University has called all its employees to work on Thursday to complete the arrangements for the centenary valedictory event the following day that is scheduled to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Thursday is Bakr-Id or Id ul Zoha, one of the most important Islamic festivals. It is a holiday in the university calendar and a gazetted holiday in the government calendar. A gazetted holiday means the break is mandatory for all employees.

Without mentioning Id by name, the university has virtually made the day a restricted holiday by saying “the employees who wish to celebrate the festival on 29th June, 2023 are exempted from attending the office. This is issued with the approval of the competent authority”.

The order had begun by saying: “The valedictory function of centenary celebrations is scheduled on Friday, the 30th June, 2023. With a view to complete all arrangements prior to the function, the University will be observing Thursday, 29th June, 2023 as a working day for all the employees of the University.”

Professor Apoorvanand, a Hindi faculty member at DU, said calling employees to work on Id amounted to the cancellation of the holiday.

“The order shows cultural insensitivity on the part of the university administration. It destroys the collective nature of the festival, which is celebrated by people from all sections of society,” he said.

He expressed dismay over the order that does not even mention Id.

Abha Dev Habib, a former executive council member of DU, said a gazetted holiday for any festival allows people of all communities to celebrate it together and promotes social harmony and national integration.

“The university’s decision to call all employees to work with exemption to those who wish to celebrate the festival betrays bias towards the festivals of Muslims. This is sectarian,” Habib said.

Habib also criticised the order that refers to Id as a festival without mentioning it.

“The university seems to have issued the order to please the ruling dispensation by aligning to its ideological line. The university provides space for debate and discussion about all aspects of society and for critically analysing ideologies. It is not in the interest of the academic community to align to any divisive and sectarian ideology,” Habib said.

The Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) called it a deliberate attempt to isolate one community.

“It is unlikely that the university administration would have taken a similar step in case the concerned day had been Holi or Diwali. That would have figured in its mind while drawing any schedule,” the DTF said in a statement.

The Academics for Action and Development Teachers’ Association said the DU notification had taken a very narrow monolithic view of the festivals.

“As the days of Holi, Dussehra, Diwali, Guru Purab and Christmas are fixed, the date of Id is also fixed. The observation of Id spreads the message of sacrifice for social good and welfare. DU’s valedictory function can’t be put in the emergency category to cancel a gazetted holiday,” it said.

An email has been sent by this newspaper to DU vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh to ascertain his views on the criticism of the order. His response is awaited.