SRINAGAR: A ruling National Conference (NC) MLA on Tuesday demanded during the second day of the J&K Assembly’s autumn session that public holidays on Sheikh Abdullah’s birth and death anniversaries be restored or the holiday marking Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary be withdrawn. His remarks triggered strong protests from BJP members, who staged a walkout from the House.
As the Assembly met in Srinagar today, NC MLA Abdul Majid Larmi demanded the restoration of public holidays on Sheikh Abdullah’s birth anniversary on December 5 and death anniversary on September 8. He also sought the restoration of the public holiday observed on July 13 as Martyrs’ Day.
Larmi said that if the government could not restore the holidays associated with Sheikh Abdullah and July 13, the public holiday marking the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, should also be withdrawn.
Following the abrogation of Article 370 and the downgrading and bifurcation of erstwhile J&K state into two Union Territories by the Centre on August 5, 2019, the public holiday on Sheikh’s birthday on December 5 and Martyrs Day on July 13 was cancelled from 2020 by the Lt Governor administration.
Till 2019, Sheikh’s birth anniversary on December 5 and July 13 were gazetted holidays in J&K.
Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary falls on Wednesday this year and there is a gazetted holiday on the day.
The BJP MLAs took exception to the NC MLA’s remarks. They protested against his remarks and resorted to sloganeering.
BJP MLA Devyani Rana said any move to undo the holiday on Maharaja’s birth anniversary is an affront to the sentiments, history and identity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and will not be allowed to succeed.
"The holiday on Maharaja’s birth anniversary is the fulfilment of a genuine and emotional demand of lakhs of people of Jammu and Kashmir. Maharaja’s holiday will not be cancelled," she asserted.
NC members also joined the chorus and demanded restoration of the holiday on Sheikh Abdullah’s birthday, highlighting his role in Jammu and Kashmir’s political and social history.
The BJP members later staged a walk-out from the Assembly.
PDP MLA Waheed Para also called for restoration of July 13 as a state holiday, saying the day commemorates sacrifices that marked the beginning of political awakening in Jammu and Kashmir.
Para urged the government and Assembly to consider the proposal and restore the significance of the day.
“13 July is an inseparable part of Jammu & Kashmir’s history and collective memory. The 22 people who gave their lives on 13 July 1931 became symbols of the struggle for dignity, representation and responsible governance,” said PDP MLA Aga Muntazir.
He said the 13 July Martyrs’ Day holiday must be restored. “Our history deserves to be remembered with dignity and respect.”
Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Larmi defended his demand. He said Sheikh Abdullah continues to hold an important place in the hearts of people in Jammu and Kashmir, citing his contributions to land reforms and education.
Senior Congress leader and MLA Ghulam Ahmed Mir, however, drew a distinction between the two demands. He said the demand for a holiday on Sheikh Abdullah’s birth or death anniversary was legitimate, but argued that linking it to the withdrawal of the holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary was not appropriate.
Senior National Conference leader and Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary backed the demand for restoring a holiday associated with Sheikh Abdullah, citing his contribution to Jammu and Kashmir after Independence.
He compared Sheikh Abdullah’s post-independence role in Jammu and Kashmir to that of India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru in India, saying his contribution extended to areas including health, education, tourism and infrastructure.
“That is why there used to be a holiday on his death anniversary. I think it should be restored and what's wrong with that? There's nothing wrong if MLAs have demanded holiday on Sheikh’s birth and death anniversaries, they have sentiments attached with him,” he added.