Pongal holiday is optional now from compulsory list of holidays:

The central government on January 9 removed the Pongal holidays from compulsory list of holidays to optional holidays . Pongal  is a Tamil harvest festival. Thai Pongal is a four-day festival which according to the Gregorian calendar is normally celebrated from January 14 to January 16. This corresponds to the last day of the Tamil month Maargazhi to the third day of the Tamil month Thai. People earlier availed a compulsory off on the occasion of Pongal. However, from now on, it would be considered as a optional holiday. Optional holidays basically mean only the people related to the particular festival could avail an off or a holiday on that day.

Public reactions on social media:

https://twitter.com/vikixlr8/status/818504878255378432?lang=en