jknc-marks-sheikh-abdullah-s-119th-birth-anniversary

The J&K national conference commemorated the 119^th birth anniversary of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, hailing him and praising him as a positive visionary leader whose vision and resilience transformed the socio-political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir.

 

Party leaders, workers, and functionaries gathered to honour his legacy, describing him as a towering figure whose commitment to socialism, humanism, pluralism, and democracy resonated across India.

 

Sheikh’s birthday is on December 5, a day that used to be a public holiday, which was dropped by the government of India post Article 370, abrogation in 2019. NC is now seeking the restoration of the status quo ante on this.

 

Sheikh’s legacy is often described as controversial, where one section of the people describe him as the leader and role model for his freedom struggle against the Dogra rulers. However, the other section views him as a power-hungry man who wanted to control the politics of the region.

 

Meanwhile, the mainstream politics in the region regard him as the father of modern Jammu and Kashmir, reshaped after 1947.

 

Contrary to what people say about him, there is a massive section of the Kashmiri society who remember his efforts to dismantle the feudal and colonial structures, replacing them with a democratic and secular framework.

 

His seminal ‘Naya Kashmir’ manifesto, which called for land redistribution, the abolition of landlordism, and public control of resources, was celebrated as a testament to his progressive vision for a just and equitable society.

 

On his birth anniversary, the party leaders highlight his lifelong dedication to uplifting the people of the region.  

 

Leaders lauded Sheikh’s unyielding commitment to tolerance, mutual respect, and camaraderie among all sects and creeds, attributing these qualities to the region’s cultural ethos.

 

Earlier in the day, the party’s Chief Spokesperson, MLA Zadibal Tanvir Sadiq, conducted a site inspection at Qaid Mazar in Naseem Bagh Hazratbal, reviewing arrangements for the commemorative event.