The Jammu and Kashmir administration has constituted a committee to look into the demand for a public vacation on the beginning anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh, the final Dogra ruler of the erstwhile princely state, in view of the potential of escalating anger within the Kashmir Valley.
According to an order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), the 4-member panel can be headed by Principal Secretary (GAD) Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, and may have members aside from administrative secretaries of social welfare and tradition departments. Divisional Commissioner, Jammu.
“With regard to the issue of commemoration of the birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh Ji and its observance in general/under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the constitution of a Committee is hereby approved,” the order stated, Adding to the committee “any member(s) may be co-opted as and when required”.
While the demand for a vacation on September 23, the birthday of the emperor, has been a rallying level for Jammu-based mainstream political events and others from throughout the social spectrum, it’s sure to create outrage within the Valley, which has already rejected the Delimitation Commission’s determination. It’s boiling. The draft report proposes six extra seats for Jammu and just one for Kashmir.
Also, the transfer can be in contrast with the UT administration’s determination to take away it from the record of public holidays for 2020, with December 5 being the beginning anniversary of former CM and National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah and July 13 as Martyrs’ Day. It was Abdullah who began the Quit Kashmir motion in opposition to the Maharaja between 1931 and 1947. The administration had as an alternative added two holidays to the record on 26 October, the day the Maharaja signed the instrument of ceding his state to the Union of India. in 1947.
PDP spokesperson and former MLA Firdous Tak alleged that the Center and Union Territory administrations are “focusing more on appeasing a particular community” as an alternative of making certain the event promised on the time of abrogation of Article 370. “Only the orders being issued by the present administration talk about a Shakti Kendra which is located more in BJP and RSS headquarters instead of Raj Bhavan and Civil Secretariat,” he stated.
CPI(M) chief and former MLA, MY Tarigami, stated the administration was making an attempt to “divide people”. “These are not really important things on which we have to divide the people. There is no doubt that Maharaja Hari Singh handed over the state to India constitutionally by signing the Instrument of Accession, but politically at this moment It was led by Sheikh Abdullah, who was a great personality,” he stated. “Now declaring a vacation on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday and never Sheikh Abdullah’s birthday, you’re sending a message to the folks of Kashmir that you simply don’t care. Doesn’t matter.”
However, Ankur Sharma, the chief of united Jammu, who was strongly supporting the demand, stated there must be “some celebration” for the Maharaja, who ceded the erstwhile princely state regardless of protests together with from Pakistan. “Also, why don’t we because the folks of Jammu personal him as a result of he was a nationalist and a progressive ruler who opened the doorways of temples for the scheduled castes, inspired the schooling of women, constructed autonomous establishments. We had a High Court virtually 20 years earlier than India’s independence,” he stated.
,
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
