Declare holiday on Maharaja Hari Singh's birth anniversary: Dogra royals to CM Mufti
The kin of Jammu and Kashmir's last king Maharaja Hari Singh are urging the state government to declare a holiday on his birth anniversary.
The erstwhile royal family of Jammu and Kashmir has initiated a campaign urging the state government to declare a holiday on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh.
Vikramaditya Singh, grandson of the former king Maharaja Hari Singh, has written to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, requesting a holiday on September 23.
Speaking to India Today, Vikramaditya Singh said, "Jammu feels more isolated, marginalised and threatened by fundamentalist forces more than ever today. Sentiments of lakhs of people are still closely attached with Hari Singh's visionary social reforms, stand for justice and building of solid institutions."
Singh added, "We are simply asking for Jammu sentiments to be respected by declaring a state holiday. We do not want to be treated as second class citizens in our own state any more."
The two-page letter dated September 15 written to CM Mufti, asks the government to acknowledge the efforts of Dogra king in the field of heath care, education apart from administration.
A campaign has been initiated on social media to gather public support.
Sources within the Jammu and Kashmir government say that the request will be noted on Monday. However, no plan has been drafted yet to declare the day as a holiday.
Jammu is a Hindu-majority region of the state with over 60 percent Dogra population. The region has a diverse mix or Hindus, Sikh and Muslims including refugees from 1947 west Pakistan.