A day after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s advisor Nasir Aslam Wani declared that December 5 would be declared as a holiday very soon, spokesperson of the ruling National Conference Tanvir Sadiq on Wednesday asserted that not only December 5 but July 13 will also be included in the list of holidays despite the decision of the Union Territory administration to exclude these historic dates from the list of holidays.
“I assure you that both December 5 and July 13 will be declared as holidays soon as these dates have a historic significance in the political history of Jammu and Kashmir,” Sadiq said while interacting with media persons.
Reacting to statements in which some leaders have questioned the National Conference for demanding a holiday only on the birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and not on other Chief Ministers, Sadiq said that Sher-e-Kashmir was more than a Chief Minister.
“Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and introduced various revolutionary policies like Land to the Tillers,” he said, and asked, “If there is no holiday on the birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, why is the same yardstick not adopted on Maharaja Hari Singh?”
Restoration of statehood, Darbar Move priority of Omar Government
Tanvir Sadiq said that restoration of statehood and the Darbar Move were priorities of the National Conference government led by Omar Abdullah.
“Our government is committed to restoring statehood. Furthermore, the traditional Darbar Move exercise will also be restarted,” he said.
Coming down heavily on BJP leaders for questioning the functioning of the Omar Abdullah government, he said that BJP was responsible for downgrading a full-fledged state into a Union Territory.
Earlier on Tuesday, Nasir Aslam Wani, advisor to the Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani, on Tuesday said that December 5 will be observed as a holiday and the decision on the same will be taken before December 5.
Wani stated that the decision is being considered and will be finalized soon.
As reported earlier, in 2020, the J&K administration had dropped ex-chief minister Sheikh Abdullah’s birth anniversary from its list of public holidays and included October 26, which is observed as ‘Accession Day’ figures in it.
On October 26, 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession, duly accepted and signed a day later by Lord Mountbatten, the then Governor General of India.
Controversy over July 13 holiday
Since 1948, July 13 had been commemorated as ‘Martyrs’ Day’ in J&K, as after becoming the first Prime Minister of the erstwhile state of J&K in the month of October 1947, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah had declared this day an ‘official holiday’ to remember those who rebelled against the then ‘autocratic’ Dogra ruler and ‘sacrificed’ their lives.
22 people were killed on July 13, 1931, during a protest against the then Dogra ruler of the erstwhile princely state of J&K, Maharaja Hari Singh.
Till 2019, it was an official holiday, and the day was officially observed throughout J&K. The chief ministers, different ministers, and DGP of Jammu Kashmir Police all used to offer floral wreaths at the graves of those who had died in 1931.
It was for the first time in the year 2020 that there was no official holiday to mark the day and no official functions either.
During the last few years, observation of July 13 as ‘Martyrs’ Day’ had created a regional divide as Jammu used to observe it as ‘Black Day’ to recall the ‘first attack’ on religious minorities of J&K.
Not only displaced Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir Valley, Jammu-based social and political parties also used to hold protests at various places to oppose the government’s decision to declare the day an official holiday to ‘glorify the first communal attack on religious minorities.’
After the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of J&K state into two Union Territories (UTs), the administration, on December 27, 2019, had dropped July 13 and December 5 from the list of holidays for 2020. December 5 is the birth anniversary of National Conference (NC) founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.
The administration had, however, declared October 26 as a gazetted holiday. On this day in 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh had signed the “Instrument of Accession” with the Indian Union.
PDP steps up attack on NC on holidays controversy
Seizing the opportunity to corner its arch-rival National Conference on this emotive issue, the Peoples Democratic Party stepped up its attack on the Omar Abdullah government for ignoring the wishes and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
PDP criticized the National Conference government for its failure to restore holidays commemorating Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and the martyrs of July 13, calling it a disregard for Kashmir’s historical legacy.
PDP General Secretary Khurshid Alam expressed his disappointment with the NC government, stating that despite enjoying a huge mandate, the party has neglected an essential aspect of the valley’s history.
Alam highlighted the importance of remembering the sacrifices of the martyrs of July 13, who hold a significant place in the hearts of Kashmiris.
“The people of Kashmir still remember the martyrs of July 13 by heart, but unfortunately, the NC government has failed to make efforts to restore the holidays for Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and July 13,” he said.
Reaffirming the PDP’s commitment, Alam stressed that his party stands firmly in upholding the values and legacy of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and those who laid down their lives for the cause of Kashmir.