2025 holiday list: Sheikh Abdullah’s birthday not added; raises questions, sparks debate

Srinagar, Dec 29: The Jammu and Kashmir government has announced its official holiday list for 2025, encompassing a wide array of religious, national, and regional observances.

However, the exclusion of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s birthday and July 13, Martyrs’ Day, from the list has drawn attention, as the leaders of National Conference – the ruling party – had promised to restore these holidays, which were previously removed by the Lieutenant Governor’s administration.

With the govt making the list of holidays public for the year 2025, the continued omission of these days raises questions, especially on the powers of the elected government which shares power with LG, appointed by the Centre.

The 2025 calendar celebrates the region's cultural and religious diversity, featuring holidays such as Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Birthday (Jan 6), Republic Day (Jan 26), Eid-ul-Fitr (March 31), Independence Day (Aug 15), and Diwali (Oct 21).

While the calendar honors key historical figures like Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Maharaja Hari Singh, the absence of Sheikh Abdullah’s Birthday and Martyrs’ Day remains a contentious issue.

The JKNC had earlier proposed reinstating these holidays, but the matter seems mired in the region’s complex power dynamics.

Earlier this month, Deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary had said that the Omar Abdullah government will soon reinstate public holiday on the birth anniversary of late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, which falls on December 5.

Before Choudhary, NC General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar had also pitched for reinstating Dec 5 as a public holiday.

Omar-led government had also submitted the proposal of reinstating the Dec 5 holiday to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha last month.