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Uncertainty over holiday on Hari Singh’s birth anniversary still prevails

Subodh Bhasin. Dated: 9/21/2018 11:59:51 AM

Subodh Bhasin
Jammu, Sep 20
Several organizations in Jammu have initiated campaign urging the state government to declare a holiday on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh. People cutting across the sectionsin Jammu, irrespective of political or religious affiliations are in voice dremanding holoday on Maharaja Hari Singh Birthday.
In the past as the ruling BJP has shown a lukewarm response to the resolution passed in the Legislative Council, there is uncertainty over the declaration of a state holiday on the birth anniversary of last Dogra ruler of J&K Maharaja Hari Singh.
It is worthwhile to mention here that even the state legislative council had unanimously passed a “historic” resolution to declare September 23, birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh, as a state holiday, still state government has not shown any indication to give its nod to the resolution.
Talking to Young Bites correspondent SS Sambyal said that the patience of people of the Jammu region was running out. Sambyal said people of the Jammu region, irrespective of caste, creed, colour or religion, had high regard for Maharaja Hari Singh so the present administration under the Governor rule must come up to the aspirations of the people.
Last month Senior Congress leader and former Governor of Jammu & Kashmir Karan Singh also demanded that the Himalayan state should observe a “gazetted holiday” every year on the birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh.
In a letter to newly appointed Governor Satya Pal Malik, Singh contended: “For many years there has been a strong demand from the people of Jammu that if Sheikh Abdullah’s birthday is a gazetted holiday in the state, the birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh, who ruled the state for 22 years and signed the Instrument of Accession to India, which falls on September 23, should also be declared a gazetted holiday.”
Advocate Dinesh Singh Jamwal while talking to Young Bites correspondent expressed resentment against the State Government for not declaring gazetted holiday on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh though the Upper House of J&K Legislature has also passed a resolution for that.
He added that people of Jammu are very much optimistic that the government would take a decision on the state holiday before September 23.
It is worthwhile to mention here that scores of organization including Amar Kshatriya (Rajput) Sabha, Chamber of Commerce and Industries besides various other bodies came on single platform demanding Gazetted Holiday on the birth anniversary of last Dogra ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh.