The recently formed Jammu and Kashmir administration has dropped ex-chief minister Sheikh Abdullah’s birth anniversary and Martyrs’ Day from its list of public holidays for 2020, but October 26 which is observed as ‘Accession Day’ figures in it.
On August 5, the Centre announced the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
According to the list issued late on Friday night by GL Sharma, the deputy secretary of the General Administration Department, 27 public holidays will be observed throughout the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in 2020, compared to 28 in the previous calendar year.
Two public holidays, Martyrs’ Day observed on July 13 and the birth anniversary of Sheikh Abdullah on December 5, have been dropped from the list of holidays for the year 2020, an order stated.
However, October 26 is in the list of public holidays for the next year as Accession Day. Apart from these, there are 46 holidays, including four provincial holidays for Kashmir region, three for Jammu, eight local holidays and four restricted holidays in 2020.
There were 47 holidays in the 2019 calendar year. On October 26, 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession which was duly accepted and signed a day later by Lord Mountbatten, the then Governor General of India.
Martyrs’ Day is observed in Jammu and Kashmir on July 13 every year in remembrance of people killed in firing by soldiers of Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh on this day in 1931 during protests against his rule.
Jammu and Kashmir on October 31 transitioned from a state into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, nearly three months after Parliament abrogated the state’s special status.
Kashmir was under an unprecedented security clampdown as restrictions were imposed in the Valley following the Centre’s move.
The Government has affirmed that restrictions in Kashmir are aimed at preventing Pakistan from creating trouble through proxies and terrorists.
Meanwhile, some of the curbs have been slowly relaxed, but mobile and internet communications in the Kashmir Valley are largely still blocked.
On October 14, all postpaid mobile services were restored in the Valley after over two months of communication blackout.