The Omar Abdullah-led Government has approached Lt Governor Manoj Sinha with the demand that July 13 and December 5 should be restored as public holidays on account of Martyrs Day and the birthday of the National Conference (NC) founder, late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, respectively.
The NC said the Government has formally asked the Lt Governor to restore these two holidays. With just two days left for July 13, there is no official word on the disposal of the NC demand by the UT’s Raj Bhawan. So far as the NC is concerned, its leaders say, “We have done what needed to be done”.
In the meantime, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti criticised the proposal sent by Omar Abdullah-led Government to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, seeking the declaration of July 13 and December 5 as public holidays.
In a post on social media platform X, Mehbooba said the move would have had more credibility if the Speaker had not rejected a similar resolution moved by the PDP in the Assembly.
“The Speaker’s outright rejection of the resolution was unexpected and disappointing,” she wrote, adding that today’s move appears more like a formality than a genuine attempt.
Both July 13 and December 5 were Government holidays in the erstwhile J&K State and were declared as public holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881. After the abrogation of Article 370 and the division of J&K into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019, these two holidays were removed from the Government’s list of holidays. Daily Excelsior
