Resolution passed in LC over holiday on Maharaja’s birthday, PDP’s Alam opposes it
Jammu, Jan 24 : As the upper house on Tuesday passed a resolution asking government to declare state holiday on birth day of Maharaja Hari Singh- a former ruler of the Jammu and Kashmir state, political parties across are divided in their respective stands vis-a-vis the issue.
The state Congress has questioned the present regime over tabling such a resolution in the upper house when state is gasping for normalcy and tranquility. The state congress Chief G.A. Mir told KNS that the resolution in itself is questionable as it has been tabled after 55 years of Maharaja Hari Singh’s death. “The government has been functioning in the state for the past 70 years after 1947. Why now to raise the issue. This is not a priority for Congress. The government is keeping the vital issues on the back burner and raises the issues that are of the least important in view of the present situation,” Congress chief told KNS.
The resolution, first of its kind, was moved by Ajatshatru Singh, grandson of Maharaja Hari Singh and a BJP member in the upper House. He said that the historic contribution of Maharaja Hari Singh needs to be acknowledged. It would be a tribute to him if the state declares official holiday on his birth day.
Maharaja Hari Singh is best known in the history for acceding the state of Jammu and Kashmir to India in October 1947.
The resolution in the upper house was carried by the voice vote. However among the PDP legislators, Khursheed Alam who opposed the resolution.
Meanwhile, opposition national conference termed the resolution tantamount to doing ‘cheap politics’. Party’s additional general secretary and its president Omar Abdullah’s Uncle, Dr Mustafa Kamal said the resolution is a significant sign of the PDP-BJP government’s nervousness and that the ruling coalition is doing every act that could divert peoples’ attention from core issues. “On one side, BJP has compromised on everything they stood for during polls in Jammu and same is the fate of PDP in Kashmir. The duo has to remain in government and that is the reason that they are together doing this cheap politics. As far as NC is concerned, declaring holiday on Hari Singh’s birthday is not necessary,” Kamal told KNS.
The NC veteran added that Hari Singh’s followers in Jammu are meager in number as he was not a mass leader.
Born on September 23, 1895, Hari Singh was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. (KNS)