A community organisation in Tamil Nadu has formally asked the state government to include Good Friday in its list of officially recognised dry days, arguing that the current policy treats religious observances unevenly.
The group, Amalorpava Maathaa Mathuvilaku Saba, which campaigns against alcohol abuse, issued a legal notice to the government on 27 January. The notice is a procedural requirement before filing a lawsuit and outlines the group’s objections to the existing policy.
According to the organisation, Tamil Nadu’s dry day calendar already includes major national holidays and festival days linked to several religious traditions, but does not include Good Friday. The group maintains that this omission is inconsistent with the state’s stated commitment to equal treatment under the law.
The association is based in the Tuticorin diocese and was founded in 1912 in the coastal village of Uvari. It has a long history of working at community level to reduce alcohol dependency and related social problems.
Its director, Father Jeyanthan De Grace, said the notice sent to the district collector highlighted the wider significance of Good Friday and its public observance in many parts of the world. He noted that the organisation has raised the issue with authorities repeatedly over the past five years without receiving a response.
The group also pointed out that other Indian states, including Kerala and Delhi, already observe Good Friday as a dry day. It questioned why a single additional day could not be added to Tamil Nadu’s list.
In its notice, the organisation referred to Supreme Court rulings which emphasise that secular governance requires equal consideration of different religious traditions, without preference or exclusion.
If the state government does not respond within the required two-month period, the group has indicated it will seek legal intervention.
Adapted from UCA News.
