Row over Sheikh, Maharaja holiday in J&K House

The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly once again witnessed a high-voltage drama between Bharatiya Janata Party and ruling National Conference legislators on Tuesday over commemorating the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh and Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.

Soon after the House convened on Tuesday, Anantnag West MLA Abdul Majeed Larmi raised a point of order seeking restoration of the December 5 holiday on Sheikh Abdullah’s birth anniversary.

The ruling party legislator said if Abdullah’s holiday is not restored, the government should also scrap the holiday for Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary on September 23.

After the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the Centre withdrew the public holiday on Sheikh Abdullah’s birth anniversary and declared Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary a public holiday in Jammu and Kashmir.

The demand triggered uproar in the Assembly, with the BJP members raising slogans like “Maharaja Amar Rahay” in support of Maharaja Hari Singh and accusing the NC of insulting his legacy. NC legislators responded with slogans like “Sher-e-Kashmir Zindabad” in support of Sheikh Abdullah. As the House witnessed pandemonium over the issue, the Speaker sought to maintain order and continue the proceedings.

“Maintain discipline in the House,” the Speaker told members of both the ruling party and the Opposition.

Meanwhile, BJP member RS Pathania said the ruling party member was raising a controversial issue in the House. PDP legislator Waheed Parra, however, said Larmi had raised a legitimate issue, adding that the government should also restore the July 13 holiday.

Amid the noisy scenes, NC MLA Mubarak Gul recalled the reforms carried out during Sheikh Abdullah’s tenure. Gul said it is the NC’s stand that December 5, the birth anniversary of its founder, should be restored as a holiday.

Amid the uproar, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather attempted to calm both sides, but slogan-shouting continued. The Speaker said the power to declare or withdraw public holidays did not fall within his jurisdiction. Rather said that the House can discuss it at an appropriate time. Despite the Speaker’s intervention, the BJP legislators were not pacified and staged a walkout.