Amid severe cold wave conditions, the political temperatures are soaring in the Kashmir valley over the issue of excluding Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s birthday and July 13, Martyrs’ Day, from the list of holidays for 2025.

The holiday calendar was released by the Union Territory Administration headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday.

The National Conference reacted sharply by claiming the decision reflects the BJP’s disregard for Kashmir’s history and democratic struggle.

However, the Bharatiya Janta Party has appreciated the decision of the government to maintain the status quo in the list of public holidays to be observed in the JK UT during 2025 issued by the General Administration Department.

For the first time, the two-state holidays on July 13 and December 5 were deleted from the list of public holidays by the LG administration on December 28, 2019, after the Abrogation of Articles 2019 and 35-A.

So far Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has not reacted on the issue. But one of his close aides and Chief Spokesman of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Tanir Sadiq Monday said, “The list of holidays and the decision reflects the BJP’s disregard for Kashmir’s history and democratic struggle. 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".

M Y Tarigami, CPI(M) central committee member and member of the J&K legislative assembly from Kulgam constituency said that it is very unfortunate that July 13 & December 5 have been dropped from the list of holidays for the 2025 calendar year.

The restoration of these two holidays was included in its election manifesto by the National Conference during the Assembly polls. After forming the government many leaders and legislators including the party’s general secretary had passionately appealed to the LG to declare December 5, 2024 as a public holiday but in vain.

The popular government also exerted pressure on the LG by submitting a cabinet proposal demanding the inclusion of December 5 in the list of holidays.

“The firm stand taken by the LG and ignoring the parochial demand is really praiseworthy,” stated Brig (Retd) Anil Gupta, Spokesperson of the Party.

National Conference Spokesman Tanir Sadiq also observed that under the Union Territory framework, a lot of decisions fall under the domain of the LG administration as they need his approval. “We are hopeful that the Lieutenant Governor’s administration will not create roadblocks and hurdles for the government’s pro-people initiatives. That is why we want early restoration of statehood,” Sadiq said.

BJP Spokesman Brig (Retd) Anil Gupta explained, “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".

Gupta claimed December 5 was never a state holiday between 1948-1981 and was declared a holiday to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah after he died in 1982 by his son and successor Dr Farooq Abdullah. He added that controversy surrounds the actual birth date of Sheikh Abdullah. According to MY Taing, a noted Kashmiri historian and literary assistant of the Sheikh for writing the 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 birthdate 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” exclaimed Brig Gupta! 

Brig (Retd) Anil Gupta also claimed 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, it was celebrated as a Black Day by the Hindus in Jammu including the Kashmiri Pandits to protest against the plundering of their properties in Kashmir by members of the majority community and also endangering their dignity, honour and lives. Historically, the events of that day divided the people on a regional, religious and ideological basis. The divide continues to persist and has widened further due to the monolithic attitude of Kashmir-based regional political parties.