Mirwaiz led separatist group calls for shutdown in Kashmir after 10 months

The Mirwaiz Umar Farooq led Hurriyat Conference has called for a shutdown on July 13 in Jammu and Kashmir. This is the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 last year that the separatist amalgam has called for a shutdown in the valley.

Srinagar:For the first time after the abrogation of Article 370, the separatist amalgam led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has called for a shutdown on July 13 in Jammu and Kashmir.

A statement issued by the spokesman of the Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Saturday said 13 July 1931 is a key milestone in the history of J&K when people stood up to resist oppressive autocratic rule.

"People of J&K since then continue to struggle and sacrifice for the realisation of their political assertions and will and political empowerment," the statement said.

This is for the first time that Mirwaiz led separatist amalgam has issued a shutdown call. The amalgam has been silent since August 5 as Mirwaiz continues to be under house arrest and many of the leaders continue to be in jails outside Kashmir.

On July 6, senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani had issued shutdown call for July 8 and 13 and the police citing "sources from his family" denied the shutdown call issued by Geelani.

On this day in 1931, 22 civilians who were protesting outside Central Jail Srinagar against the autocratic rule of Dogras were shot dead by his police forces.

Since then the day remembered as Marty's Day in Jammu and Kashmir was observed as government holiday and all political parties would pay tributes to the slain by visiting the Martyr's graveyard outside a shrine in downtown, Srinagar.

However, after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu Kashmir into two UTs, BJP led government dropped the day from the list of holidays in the official calendar from this year.

During PDP-BJP coalition government, the BJP didn't participate in any of the functions held on this day as a traditional practice by all governments.

BJP has opposed the commemoration of these slain, arguing that the 1931 movement against then Dogra kings of Kashmir cannot be observed as a "national day" in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Mirwaiz led group also reiterated that "peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue is a reality with which both India and Pakistan will have to engage and the will of people of J&K upheld."