Patna: With the Delhi government declaring a holiday on October 26, the demand for announcing Chhath as a national festival appears to have gained ground.

"Chhath is being celebrated across India and even across the globe. It should be declared a national festival. Moreover, people worship the Sun on this occasion. The festival is not only religious but has also got to do with environment," said national general secretary of JDU Shyam Rajak.

He was backed by BJP MLA Nitish Navin. "Chhath festival comes in tune with the Swachhata Abhiyan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and should be declared a national festival, It is being celebrated across the globe," he said. Incidentally, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit used to announce a holiday on Chhath in Delhi when she was in power.

Birbal Jha, the chairman of Mithila Foundation, has already made a strong pitch. "Chhath Puja culture has a positive impact on the environment and lifestyle of the people around. The pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat, including Clean Ganga Plan, may be derived from the Chhath culture of the age-old practice in Bihar, eastern UP and Jharkhand," he said.

Promoters of Chhath point towards the dominant role played by Purvanchalis in Delhi. Of the 70 Assembly seats in Delhi, around 50 have substantial influence of people from Bihar and east UP where Chhath is the main festival. "But in places like Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh and others, it is widely celebrated. At many places, even non-Biharis participate," said a politician. He recalled until the MNS started its anti-Purvanchali movement, political parties, including Shiv Sena, used to woo them during Chhath by providing them assistance for observing Chhath on the beach.

"If Chhath Puja is declared as a national festival, it will entail a plethora of benefits. One of them is that the sanitation drive of the current government will witness success in auto mode. Further, the governments as in Delhi may create special budget to encourage and facilitate devotees for a larger cause," Jha said.

However, politicians like Nand Kishore Yadav said there was no need of declaring Chhath a national festival. "People are already celebrating it across the state and even across the globe. Biharis have carried it with them wherever they went," he said.