Despite cabinet proposal, LG admin excludes Sheikh Abdullah's birth anniversary from J&K's 2025 holiday list

Srinagar: Despite a proposal from the Omar Abdullah-led government, the birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, former Chief Minister and founder of the ruling National Conference (NC), has been excluded from Jammu and Kashmir’s public holiday list for 2025.

According to a notification issued by the administration, the Union Territory will observe 28 public holidays in 2025. However, Abdullah’s birth anniversary on December 5 didn’t figure in the list of holidays.

Advisor to Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani earlier this month told reporters here that the Council of Ministers had sent a proposal to Lieutenant Governor with regard to the holiday on December 5.

The ruling NC has hit out at the LG-led administration for the omission, accusing it of disrespecting Kashmir’s history. “This reflects the BJP's disregard for the region’s legacy,” NC spokesperson and MLA Tanvir Sadiq said.

"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. These holidays will be restored one day," Sadiq, who is considered as the CM’s close aide, said.

Known as Sher-i-Kashmir (Lion of Kashmir), Abdullah, a towering figure in Kashmiri politics, whose birth anniversary was previously observed as a public holiday but was abolished after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

In 2020, the LG administration dropped two public holidays from the holiday calendar - Abdullah’s birth anniversary and the July 13 “Martyrs’ Day”. The two holidays were observed by the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The erstwhile state used to observe July 13 of every year as a regional holiday to commemorate those Kashmiris who were killed by state forces while protesting on this day in 1931.

The exclusion continues, even though Abdullah, after being sworn in as Chief Minister more than two months ago, pledged to restore Abdullah’s birth anniversary holiday. The NC, in its poll manifesto, had also pledged to restore the gazetted holiday on July 13 “Martyrs Day”.

In 2020, the LG administration included Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday on September 23 and the landing of Indian army in J&K on October 26, 1947, as a gazetted holiday. It is now being observed as Accession Day. Both of these holidays have been retained in the list for 2025, issued by the General Administration Department.

Meanwhile, former Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu took a dig at NC on social media. In a pointed tweet, he mocked the party’s “failure” to deliver on its promises, including the restoration of the July 13 Martyrs’ Day holiday.

“Didn’t NC promise the restoration of these holidays? Or are they too busy with new wardrobes and cars to address these issues?” Mattu posted on X.