Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 31: The Bharatiya Janata Party 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.
This was stated by Brig Anil Gupta, BJP spokesperson in a press statement issued here today.
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 decision was widely welcomed across the nation as these holidays were controversial and region specific.
“The firm stand taken by the LG and ignoring the parochial demand is really praiseworthy,” he said.
“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. 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 birth date 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,” said 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 and 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.
“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,” he added.
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