“The calendar printed by the government press is very clear, ‘Subject to the appearance of the moon.’ It means that the holiday is subject to change depending on the sighting of the moon,” Abdullah said in a post on X from his personal handle
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. File Pic
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday criticised Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's administration for refusing to reschedule the holiday on Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi despite repeated requests.
Abdullah called the move a “deliberate” decision by an unelected government, describing it as “inconsiderate and designed to hurt the sentiments of the people.”
“The calendar printed by the government press is very clear, ‘Subject to the appearance of the moon.’ It means that the holiday is subject to change depending on the sighting of the moon,” Abdullah said in a post on X from his personal handle.
While Eid-e-Milad is being celebrated in J&K on Saturday as per the Islamic lunar calendar, the holiday was observed on Friday, in line with the annual holiday list issued earlier by the administration.
Minister for Health and Education Sakina Itoo also accused the LG administration of “playing with the emotions of the people.”
“This is totally unjust. Eid-e-Milad, a sacred occasion for Muslims worldwide, is not observed as a holiday on the correct date in J&K. What does ‘subject to the appearance of the moon’ mean if it is not followed?” Itoo asked on X. She added that “despite repeated requests,” no action was taken by the LG’s office, stressing that such decisions should rest with an elected government.
Kashmir’s chief cleric and Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also condemned the authorities for failing to reschedule the holiday.
“Strongly condemn the utter disregard of authorities on the revered occasion of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, who for the second consecutive year have failed to reschedule the holiday in accordance with the actual date, disregarding the sentiments of the Muslim community,” Mirwaiz said in a post on X.
Calling the move “deliberate negligence,” Mirwaiz said it was unacceptable to the Muslims of J&K, who “strongly protest” it. He also criticised the silence of the elected government, saying, “They fail to take a stand on any issue of the people of J&K. I will also raise this in my Juma (Friday) sermon at Jama Masjid today.”
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti termed the non-rescheduling of the holiday “unfortunate.”
“How unfortunate that a blessed occasion like Eid-e-Milad for Muslims all over the world is not even being observed on the correct day in J&K,” Mufti said on X.
She accused the National Conference-led government of legitimising and normalising such “atrocious decisions” despite holding a majority.
“India’s only Muslim-majority state doesn’t even have the freedom to declare our cherished religious occasions,” she added.
The LG administration has previously refused to alter the Eid holiday as well.
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