BJP demands for Accession holiday delays J-K official calendar

The publication of the official calendar for 2016 in Jammu and Kashmir has been delayed after the BJP’s demand to declare October 26, the day when Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession with the Union of India in 1947, a state holiday.

Coalition partner PDP is reluctant to heed to the demand fearing backlash in the Kashmir Valley where many observe the day as ‘black day’.

Officials in the general administration department (GAD) said last year, the list of holidays was already conveyed to them by the government on December 3.

“We have sent the list to the chief secretary who has to seek approval from the chief minister. But till date, we have not received the approval,” said an official of GAD on conditions of anonymity.

“Accordingly, the official calendar can’t be published,” he said.

Chief secretary BR Sharma said he has approved the list of holidays.

“The list will be communicated to the GAD in a day or two,” he told HT.

Asked if October 26 had been included in the list of holidays, he said, “I did not study individual dates in the list. You will get to know on the next working day (Monday).”