July 13 Holiday in Jammu and Kashmir: Mehbooba Mufti's Resolve to Honor Kashmir Martyrs

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has directed her party's three members to ensure that a motion for a public holiday in honour of the July 13 martyrs is the first agenda item to be taken up in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly's budget session, which starts on Monday.

July 13 is a significant date in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, for it was on this day in 1931 that 22 individuals were massacred by the Dogra Maharaja's soldiers outside Srinagar's central jail while protesting against the Dogra Maharaja's tyrannical rule. The day had been earlier celebrated as a public holiday in the state to commemorate these martyrs.

But following the scrapping of Article 370 in 2019 and reorganizing Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, the holiday was abolished by the Lieutenant Governor administration.

The PDP is now attempting to revive the holiday, with Mufti asking her party legislators to rally support for the resolution. The party hopes to prioritize the restoration of this holiday in the upcoming session of the Assembly.

Also read: School Holidays in March 2025: Check Dates and State-Wise List