Jammu & Kashmir

First time since 1948, no official function on Martyrs’ Day in Kashmir

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Srinagar: According to the list of gazette holidays issued by the government, there will be no holiday and official functions to commemorate martyrs’ day in Jammu and Kashmir. The decision passed last year; to not to commemorate the day, is happening for the first time since 1948.

“In December last year, the list of gazetted holidays had no mention of martyrs’ day on July 13 and December 5, the birth anniversary of former J&K Prime Minister Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah. Therefore, the question doesn’t arise of holding any official function or declaring a holiday on Monday,” a Delhi based newspaper Hindustan Times quoted a senior official as saying.

In 2019, soon after the revocation of Article 370 in August, the government of India issued a list of gazette holidays for the erstwhile state. However, July 13 and December 5, were omitted from the list inviting an outcry by the Kashmir centric parties.

July 13, was declared by the then prime minister of J&K, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, as martyrs’ day in memory of those who revolted against the Dogra rule on July 13, 1931. Twenty-two people were killed in the protest against the then Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh.

In the new list of gazette holidays, the government, however, declared October 26 as a gazetted holiday. On this day in 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh had signed the “Instrument of Accession” with the dominion of India, the report added.

 

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