Bhaktapur, October 26:

Rastriya Bibhuti Sankhadhar Sakhwa Prathisthan today urged the government to officially declare public holiday on the New Year day of the Nepal Sambat (NS).

Speaking at a press conference here, Madan Krishna Shrestha, president of the organisation, said though the New Year day falls on the forth day of Tihar, they wanted that the day be declared a public holiday as the Nepal Sambat New Year, not as part of Tihar.

“We want the people to realise that the holiday is not just for Gabardhan Puja and Mha Puja, but also for the Nepal Sambat New Year,” he said.

“The Newari community’s body has also demanded that the government publish a Nepal Sambat calendar and include biography of Sankhadhar Sakhwa in school curricula.”

PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ is scheduled to garland the statute of the national figure on October 29 in Thimi.