TNL Network
A new political row has surfaced in Jammu and Kashmir after Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha dismissed a proposal to reinstate December 5 as a public holiday to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, the iconic leader of Kashmir’s political landscape. The holiday, previously observed, was abolished following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
The ruling National Conference (NC) has voiced sharp criticism against the BJP-led administration, accusing it of disregarding the region’s historical and cultural legacy. Syed Tajamil Islam, a senior PDP spokesperson, said, “This reflects the BJP’s disregard for the region’s legacy.”
Senior NC leader Shameema Firdous echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the absence of such holidays does not diminish the significance of Kashmir’s historical figures. “While we had hoped for the inclusion of holidays commemorating leaders like Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and the martyrs of July 13, their absence does not diminish their significance or our legacy,” she remarked.
Adding to the criticism, NC spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq expressed hope for a reversal in the future. “These holidays will be restored one day,” he stated, reiterating that the party had formally proposed the restoration of Sheikh Abdullah’s birth anniversary as a public holiday.
This development follows a recent statement by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, hinting that the NC remains committed to reversing decisions made post-2019, including the reinstatement of July 13 as “Martyr’s Day.” The restoration of these holidays also features prominently in the NC’s poll manifesto.
Notably, the General Administration Department’s holiday list for 2025 retains two controversial gazetted holidays introduced post-abrogation: Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday on September 23 and Accession Day on October 26, marking the Indian Army’s arrival in J&K in 1947.
As political parties exchange heated rhetoric, the exclusion of Sheikh Abdullah’s birthday from the official holiday calendar has once again underscored the deep ideological divides shaping the region’s political discourse.
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