JAMMU: In an official hand out issued by the Bharatiya Janata Party, it has appreciated the decision of the government to maintain status quo in the list of public holidays to be observed in the JK UT during 2025 issued by the General Administration Department. In a significant decision taken by the LG Administration on 28 December 2019, the two controversial state holidays on July 13 and December 5 were deleted from the list of public holidays to be observed in 2020. The practice has been continuing unchanged since then. The decision was widely welcome across the nation as these holidays were controversial and region specific.
The restoration of these two holidays was included in its election manifesto by the National Conference. It was one of the many controversial commitments made by the party. After forming the government its many leaders and legislators including the party’s general secretary had upped the ante making fervent appeals to the LG to declare December 5, 2024 as a public holiday but were ignored. It is also learnt that further pressure was exerted on the LG through submitting a cabinet proposal to the LG. “The firm stand taken by the LG and ignoring the parochial demand is really praiseworthy,” stated Brig Anil Gupta, Spokesperson of the Party.
“Both the holidays were mired in controversy and were thrust upon the people of the other two regions of the erstwhile state by the National Conference,” asserted Brig Gupta. Incidentally, December 5 was never a state holiday between 1948-1981 and was declared as a holiday to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah after his death in 1982 by his son and successor Dr Farooq Abdullah. In fact, controversy surrounds the actual birth date of the Sheikh.
According to MY Taing, a noted Kashmiri historian and literary assistant of the Sheikh for writing latter’s autobiography Aatish-e-Chinar, December 5 is not the actual birth date of the Sheikh. Even Sheikh has not mentioned December 5 as his birthdate in his autobiography. “What is the justification of December 5 as a state holiday when the Sheikh himself does not acknowledge it as his birth date” exclaimed Brig Gupta!
Nothing can be more controversial and divisive than celebrating July 13 as a state holiday with full government support. While it was celebrated as Martyrs Day in Kashmir, it was celebrated as a Black Day by the Hindus in Jammu including the Kashmiri Pandits to protest against plundering of their properties in Kashmir by members of the majority community and also endangering their dignity, honour and lives. Historically, the events of that day divided the people on regional, religious and ideological basis. The divide continues to persist and has widened further due to the monolithic attitude of Kashmir based regional political parties.
Reacting sharply to the NC Spokesperson post on the X where he has termed the exclusion of these two holidays as “disregard to Kashmir’s history and democratic struggle,” Brig Gupta reminded the National Conference that it is Jammu and Kashmir and not Kashmir alone. The Raj Dharma demands the government to be fair and just to the sentiment and aspirations of the people of both the regions. The people of Jammu and their sentiments can not be ignored any more even if the government enjoyed brute majority.
“It is high time that NC shuns the politics of exclusivity and embraces inclusivity by giving equal respect and status to the Dogra heritage and sentiments. Cosmetic statements and theatrics wouldn’t suffice. It also needs to apologise to the Kashmiri Hindu community for the atrocities committed on them despite being the original inhabitants of the Valley. Rather than opening the old wounds, it should focus on their honourable and safe return to their abode.”
