Srinagar, Sep 22: The ruling National Conference (NC) on Tuesday demanded restoration of the public holiday on the birth anniversary of party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, saying he has done a lot for J&K.
NC members raising the issue in the House said Sheikh Abdullah’s contribution in shaping modern Jammu and Kashmir cannot be ignored.
Members said his historic reforms including Land to Tiller, free education up to university level and empowerment of women laid the foundation of a progressive J&K.
They said both the holidays, July 13 Martyrs Day and December 5, the birth anniversary of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah were removed from the official holiday calendar after abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
Participating in the discussion, senior NC leader and MLA Eidgah Mubarak Gul said that NC remained in power for many years but never altered any holiday or any important day.
“We remained in power for decades, but we never removed any holiday. We never played with history. If BJP or any other party’s leader had a holiday, we never removed it. Holidays represent collective memory,” Gul said.
He said restoring the December 5 holiday would be a tribute to Sheikh Abdullah’s contribution to the people of J&K.
