SRINAGAR: On Monday, the administration led by the lieutenant governor enforced restrictions in certain areas of Srinagar to thwart political figures from gathering at the Martyrs’ Graveyard in the old city.
Prominent politicians, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference leaders, notably his father Farooq Abdullah, opted to pay their respects at the party headquarters. Meanwhile, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti also honored the martyrs at her party office.
Security forces had sealed off the Martyrs’ Graveyard area on Sunday, implementing heavy police presence. Education Minister Sakina Itoo expressed her frustration at being barred from visiting the graveyard at 4:30 AM on Monday.
Notably, in the previous year, Omar Abdullah had defied police barricades and scaled a wall to reach the graveyard.
“It is a matter of great regret that today we are not being allowed to pay homage to those who sacrificed their lives on July 13 in the struggle against British paramountcy and autocratic rule,” Omar Abdullah stated on Monday.
PDP spokesperson Iltija Mufti remarked, “I haven’t seen such a paranoid administration in J&K before.” She added, “You can’t decide who Kashmiris idolize. For us, the 22 martyrs who laid down their lives in 1931 to sow the seeds of political consciousness and dignity are our heroes,” via a post on X.
In January 2020, nearly six months post the abrogation of Article 370, the Jammu and Kashmir administration delisted July 13 and December 5 from public holiday observances.
The latter was the birth anniversary of National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah while the former is recognized as Martyrs’ Day, commemorating the 22 Kashmiris who lost their lives during a protest against the Dogra ruler in 1931, outside Srinagar Central Jail.
