Admin again ignores Jammu’s demand, no holiday on Sept 23
Going against the “wishes” and popular demand of various Jammu-based political and social groups, the UT administration has yet again decided not to declare September 23, the birth anniversary of the last Dogra ruler of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, as a public holiday
The UT administration on Thursday released the list of holidays for the calendar year-2022, under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 which clearly mentioned that there has been no holiday on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh—a demand that has witnessed widespread protests across different parts of Jammu region.
The decision of not declaring holiday on September 23 is likely to aggravate the problems of the ruling BJP at the Centre as it had been facing criticism from different quarters “for not respecting the sentiments of Jammu people”.
Maharaja Hari Singh was the last Dogra ruler, who had signed the Instrument of Accession on October 26 1947, the legal document that ceded J&K to the dominion of India as per the Indian Independence Act 1947.
Pertinently, Jammu-based political and social groups, Bar association, traders and civil society groups had vociferously been demanding for declaring a public holiday on the birthday of late Maharaja Hari Singh.
In July 2019, the BJP-led Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) had also passed a resolution to declare the Maharaja Hari Singh on September 23 as State holiday. The resolution was also sent to the then Governor Satya Pal Malik for his consent.
In September 2017, the Upper House of Jammu and Kashmir Legislature in the erstwhile state had also passed a private member’s resolution seeking holiday on the birthday of the last ruler of J&K. The resolution was moved by the grandson of ex-Maharaja and former BJP legislator Ajatshatru Singh.
Recently, Yuva Rajput Sabha had also staged a strong demonstration demanding holiday on September 23, and `gheraoed’ the UT BJP president, Ravinder Raina, accusing the party of “not respecting the sentiments of Jammu people”. They had also warned that they would intensify their agitation if their demand was not fulfilled.
