Setback To National Conference As Jammu-Kashmir LG Does Not Declare Sheikh Abdullah's Birthday And Martyrs Day As Holidays

The list of 28 gazetted holidays for 2025 is a setback for the National Conference (NC) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) as the ruling party's two electoral promises fall flat.

The list does not include the birthday of NC founder and former Chief Minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on 5 December or the "Martyrs Day" on 13 July, which had formal ceremonies until the abolition of Article 370.

In their election manifesto, the NC had committed to reinstating the official holiday on 13 July, previously recognised as "Martyrs Day" in J&K and also the holiday on 5 December.

In 2020, the administration of the Lieutenant Governor (LG) cancelled the holidays on 13 July, known as "Martyrs Day," and Sheikh Abdullah’s birth anniversary.

Subsequently, the government added Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday on 23 September and the arrival of troops in Jammu and Kashmir on 26 October 1947, now commemorated as Accession Day, to the list of official holidays.

The General Administration Department has confirmed that both of these holidays will remain on the 2025 schedule, while the other two holidays, promised by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have not been reinstated.

When the elected NC government took office in J&K in October this year, there were expectations that the 13 July and 5 December holidays would be reinstated. Statements affirming this had also been made by NC leaders.

The directive concerning the holiday schedule, released by the Commissioner-Secretary of GAD, M Raju, clarifies that the schedule was published under the authority of LG Manoj Sinha.

The National Conference has expressed their frustration due to the omission of July 13 and December 5 as public holidays in the official gazette, The New Indian Express reported.

A senior NC leader and member of the legislative assembly (MLA) Tanvir Sadiq, a close aide to CM Omar Abdullah called the decision a reflection of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) 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 13th, their absence does not diminish their significance or our legacy. These holidays will be restored one day," he said.