SRINAGAR: Education Minister Sakina Itoo on Friday criticised the Jammu and Kashmir administration for not observing Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (SAW) as a holiday on the “correct date,” accusing the government of disregarding religious sentiments.
This is totally unjust that 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 appearance of the moon” mean if it is not followed? Despite repeated requests from the elected Govt to shift the…
— Sakina Itoo (@sakinaitoo) September 5, 2025
In a post on X, Itoo termed the move “totally unjust,” saying that Eid-e-Milad, a sacred occasion for Muslims worldwide, should have been observed in line with the lunar calendar. “What does ‘subject to appearance of the moon’ mean if it is not followed?” she asked.
She said that despite repeated requests from the elected government to shift the holiday to the proper date, the administration had failed to act. “This is playing with the emotions of the people. Such decisions should be at the helm of the elected government,” Itoo wrote.
Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam also criticised the administration, calling it “most unfortunate” that the official holiday was not aligned with the moon sighting. He said the mismatch reflected a negative approach towards a revered day of spiritual and religious significance and urged the government to avoid such discrepancies in future to preserve the sanctity of religious occasions.
The remarks come amid public criticism after the administration confirmed the holiday on September 5, even though the Islamic calendar marks Eid-e-Milad on September 6.
