STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Has Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh opened a Pandora’s Box by asking for a review of State holidays after the BJP failed to convince Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to declare September 23 a holiday to mark the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh?
The manner in which BJP leader has launched an aggressive campaign in support of striking down some of the existing State holidays, linked only to a particular political party, it appears the idea may boomerang.
Several other political parties and socio-politico organisations may also come up with the proposal to announce few other days linked with their leaders and symbols of faith for a State holiday. Since BJP failed to convince PDP despite being in the government, it would be interesting to see how the alliance partners would handle the demand to increase the list of State holidays, leave aside trimming these down.
Political observers understand that the Deputy Chief Minister was feeling heat of public anger against the party across Jammu region after alliance government failed to announce a State holiday on the occasion of birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh.
It is in backdrop of these unsavoury developments Dr Nirmal Singh told reporters on Sunday, “There is a long list of holidays in the State and some of these are directly linked with a political party”. Without naming National Conference, Dr Singh said the existing list of State holidays should be thoroughly reviewed as already Jammu and Kashmir enjoys long list of holidays.
Dr Singh was responding to a question whether BJP had moved a proposal to strike down July 13-Martyrs Day and December 5– birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah as State holidays.
The State Unit of the BJP, feeling public pressure, was forced to launch elaborate damage control exercise as it had earlier failed to convince Mehbooba Mufti to acknowledge the sentiments of people of Jammu region and announce September 23 a State holiday in recognition of the visionary Maharaja.
Meanwhile, Dr Nirmal Singh once again backed the genuine demand of people across Jammu region to announce a State holiday on September 23.
Earlier, last week Dr Nirmal Singh was heckled by the activists of different political parties near Tawi Bridge on September 23 after he offered floral tributes to Maharaja Hari Singh but failed to convince the audience why the State government failed to announce holiday on the occasion.
