JAMMU, SEPTEMBER 15: Jubilations broke out here as the Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday decided to declare Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary falling on September 23 a public holiday.
A notification in this regard will be issued soon, said an official statement issued here late tonight.
The announcement was made by Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha following his meeting with a delegation comprising of prominent political leaders, members of the Yuva Rajput Sabha, civil society members, including head of J&K transport union, at the Raj Bhavan today.
“The government has taken a decision to declare Maharaja Hari Singh Ji’s birthday as a public holiday. Maharaja Hari Singh was a great educationist, progressive thinker, social reformer and a towering man of ideas and ideals. The public holiday will be a fitting tribute to Maharaja Hari Singh Ji’s rich legacy,” the Lieutenant Governor observed.
Pertinently, on the directions of Lt Governor, a four-member committee was constituted by the UT administration earlier this year to examine the public demand regarding holiday on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh.
Prominent political leaders including Member Parliament, Jugal Kishore Sharma; Former Dy CM, Dr Nirmal Singh; Devender Rana, Sat Sharma; Ajit Singh, President All J&K Transport Union; Rajan Singh, President, Yuva Rajput Sabha and members of Yuva Rajput Sabha were present on the occasion.
Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Mukesh Singh, ADGP Jammu; Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Vivek Gupta, DIG; Avny Lavasa, DC Jammu and Chandan Kohli, SSP Jammu were also present.
The Jammu and Kashmir government had earlier in December 2019 declared public holiday on October 26 which is observed as Accession Day when Maharaja Hari Singh, last Dogra ruler of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir comprising areas of J&K under illegal occupation of Pakistan and also China, had signed the instrument of accession acceding the then state to the Union of India. The public holiday was declared under the Centre’s Negotiable Instruments Act, 1981.
