Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 5: National Conference (NC) leaders today paid tribute to the party’s founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on his 119th birth anniversary.
The NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and other senior leaders, including Omar’s sons, Zahir and Zamir, visited Sheikh Abdullah’s grave at Hazratbal, where they offered Fateha Khawani in his memory.
Party leaders, functionaries and workers gathered to honour Sheikh Abdullah, popularly known as Sher-e-Kashmir.
Senior NC leader highlighted his contributions to Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in education, health and land reforms. They also called for restoring the public holiday on December 5, which was removed from the holiday list in 2020.
“We commemorate this day annually and continue the tradition. However, after August 5, 2019, the public holiday on this day was cancelled. It should be reinstated,” Altaf Kaloo, MLA from Pahalgam, said. Click here to watch video
Last month, the Omar-led Government submitted a proposal to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, requesting the reinstatement of the holiday, but it has not yet received approval.
Speaking at the event, MLA from Pampore, Hasnain Masoodi, emphasized Sheikh Abdullah’s role in bringing social justice and ending oppressive rule in Jammu and Kashmir. “Under his leadership, we defeated tyranny, and he laid the foundation of social justice. This day is respected across Kashmir,” he said.
Minister for Education, Health, Medical Education, and Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo, described Sheikh Abdullah as a towering personality with influence across the subcontinent. “He liberated the people of Jammu and Kashmir from mental subjugation and instilled dignity in them. Today, we pay tribute to a leader who changed the course of history for our people, she said.
She further praised Sheikh Abdullah for teaching Kashmiris to live with their heads held high, underlining his legacy as a symbol of empowerment and progress.
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