Eid-ul-Fitr holiday quandary in J&K

Smart attendance displays ‘Holiday’ on dashboard, employees confused

Jammu: Although Eid was celebrated on Wednesday in Jammu and Kashmir after the confirmation of Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam on Tuesday evening, the government employees and parents remained confused throughout the day over Eid holiday .
And those who went to offices , particularly, the teaching faculties fell in quandary after they came across ‘Holiday’ on the dashboard of Smart Attendance. Oddly, the school education department issued a circular in the evening stating that the App Developers have kept this day as vacant and further made clear that the day will be treated as ‘Holiday’.
‘All the Teaching and Non Teaching Staff under School Education Department are hereby requested that there is no need to worry about the day which displays note as a Holiday on the Dashboard of Smart Attendance. As you know the date of Eid is not a fixed date .So the System Analysts/ App Developers have kept this day as vacant. Now the new updation in the Smart Attendance app will make it clear and the said date will be treated as a Holiday. This is the job of computer programmers who are handling and managing this app and they will clear all the ambiguity while updating this app and will consider the same date as a holiday. All are requested to kindly note’ :Jk Smart Attendance Update.
Confusion brewed over Eid holiday on Wednesday morning consequentially the government departments witnessed thin presence of employees. Majority of the government employees observed the holiday on the grounds that Ladakh Administration, Jammu University and Courts had announced holiday on Wednesday on account of Eid.
Later, GAD made it clear that there was no holiday on Wednesday. “As , the rest of India is celebrating the Eid festival on April 11 and the same has been mentioned in the government’s holidays list, so there was no holiday on Wednesday”, said a senior officer in GAD.
Meanwhile, Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated across Jammu and Kashmir with traditional fervour and gaiety.
A large congregation of devotees assembled at Hazratbal Shrine on the banks of Dal Lake in Kashmir.
Former chief ministers of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were among those who offered prayers at the shrine.
"A genocide of Palestinians is going on while Muslim governments are silent. I hope they wake up and break their silence on this murder of humanity," Abdullah said after offering his prayers at Hazratbal.
On India-Pakistan ties, he said the two nations can progress only when they have friendly relations.
"We cannot progress if we have hostile and confrontationist relations," Abdullah said.
Authorities did not allow devotees to offer prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in the old Srinagar city.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chief priest of Kashmir who was scheduled to deliver the Eid sermon at Jamia Masjid, was placed under house arrest ahead of the congregational prayers.
Mufti condemned the closure of Jamia Masjid for Eid prayers saying "this is interference in religious matters".
Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan, is being celebrated across India after the crescent Moon was sighted on Friday evening.
In Jammu, the biggest congregation took place at Eidgah and Mecca Masjid, where hundreds of devotees performed Namaz-e-Eid.
"We congratulate everyone on Eid. We should spread love and brotherhood and not create enmity among people," Mufti Ainayatula Qasmi said.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha extended his greetings to the people on the occasion.
"The auspicious day inspires us to dedicate ourselves to the service of humanity. May the holy festival bring good health, happiness and prosperity in everyone's lives," he said.