Aazan Manzoor
Srinagar, Sep 22 (JKNS): The second day of the autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly began with Anantnag West MLA Abdul Majeed Larmi raising the issue of government holidays in the House.
Details available with news agency JKNS that, Larmi stood up and said that September 23 is observed as a holiday on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh and urged the government to also grant a holiday on the birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.
He further said that if a holiday for Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah is not granted, the holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary should also be withdrawn.
The remarks were followed by objections from BJP MLAs, who stood up and questioned why the Maharaja Hari Singh holiday should be removed.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened and clarified that he was neither the authority to grant a holiday nor to remove one, saying that a member had only expressed his perspective before the House.
PDP MLA Waheed Para also stood up and said that the sentiments of the people should be respected. He urged that a holiday on Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s birth anniversary should be granted and also raised the demand for a holiday in connection with the July 13 martyrs.
September 23 is listed as a holiday in the Assembly’s provisional calendar on account of Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary.
The exchange took place as the House resumed proceedings for the second day of the autumn session. (JKNS)
