Holiday or Not, Sheikh Abdullah Lives in People’s Hearts, Says Omar Abdullah

Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that his grandfather, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, continues to be revered by the people regardless of whether his birth anniversary on December 5 is marked as an official holiday. His remarks came five years after the lieutenant governor’s administration, appointed by the Centre, removed the date associated with the National Conference (NC) founder from the official holiday list.

Speaking to reporters, Omar explained that the authority to declare public holidays now rests with the Centre, not the elected government. “Announcing a holiday for such occasions is not something the state government can do anymore. This power lies entirely with the central administration. That is why we consistently argue for the restoration of statehood, so we can decide on matters big and small. A holiday is not what defines Sheikh Sahib’s legacy,” he said.

Omar’s comments were made while he attended the passing-out parade of 711 Agniveers from the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) Regiment in Srinagar. The NC, meanwhile, is preparing to observe Sheikh Abdullah’s birth anniversary on Friday with large-scale events.

The birth anniversary was removed from the official holiday calendar in January 2020, just months after Article 370 was revoked. Martyrs’ Day—observed on July 13 to honour those killed in 1931 during protests against the Dogra regime—was also struck off the list. In contrast, the administration added a holiday in 2022 to commemorate former Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary on September 23.

Braving the cold during the parade, Omar offered a brief historical reminder, noting that this was his first time attending such a ceremony at the JAKLI regiment. “This regiment has long-standing roots in Jammu and Kashmir. Before Independence, it functioned as a militia and fought during the tribal invasion of 1947,” he said. He also highlighted the regiment’s contributions across India’s toughest terrains—from Siachen’s icy altitudes to the sands of Rajasthan.

The Army, commenting on the new batch of recruits, said the Agniveers experienced intense operational exposure early in their training. “They were barely a week into the programme when Operation Sindoor began. The drills adopted during that high-pressure phase served as real-time battlefield conditioning, strengthening the resolve of these young recruits,” an Army spokesperson stated.

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