SRINAGAR: In a setback for the ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir, the government has released a list of 28 gazetted holidays for 2025, but the list does not include holidays on the birthday of NC founder and former CM Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, on December 5, or "Martyrs Day" on July 13.
The NC, in its poll manifesto, had pledged to restore the gazetted holiday on July 13, which, until the scrapping of Article 370, was observed as “Martyrs Day” in J&K with official functions.
The party also vowed to restore the holiday on December 5, the birthday of party founder and former J&K PM and CM Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.
In 2020, the Lt Governor administration revoked the holiday on July 13 ("Martyrs Day") and Sheikh Abdullah’s birth anniversary. Later, the government included Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday on September 23 and the landing of troops in J&K on October 26, 1947, as a gazetted holiday. It is now being observed as Accession Day.
Both of these holidays have been retained in the list for 2025, issued by the General Administration Department.
With the Omar Abdullah-led elected government assuming power in J&K in October this year, it was expected that the NC government would restore holidays on July 13 and December 5. NC leaders had also made statements to this effect.
The order about the list of holidays, issued by Commissioner-Secretary GAD, M. Raju, makes it clear that the list was issued under the orders of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
It is unclear whether the Omar Abdullah cabinet had submitted a proposal to Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to reinstate the public holidays on July 13 and December 5.
The National Conference is angry over the non-inclusion of July 13 and December 5 as public holidays in the official gazette.
“The list of holidays and the decision reflect the BJP’s disregard for Kashmir’s history and democratic struggle. While we had hoped for the inclusion of holidays commemorating leaders like Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and the martyrs of July 13th, their absence does not diminish their significance or our legacy,” said senior National Conference leader and MLA Tanvir Sadiq, a close aide to CM Omar Abdullah.
“These holidays will be restored one day,” he added.