Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police on Saturday prevented Apni Party leaders from visiting the martyrs' graveyard at Naqashband Sahib, Srinagar, to honor the martyrs of July 13, 1931. The delegation, led by the party's president, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, was stopped by police as they left the party's Sheikh Bagh office in the city center.
Despite being barred from reaching the graveyard, the leaders held Fateh prayers on the road outside their Sheikh Bagh office. On Friday, Bukhari paid tribute to the martyrs, emphasizing the historical importance of July 13, 1931.
"This day holds great significance in our history, as it marks the sacrifice of numerous ancestors who laid down their lives on this very day in 1931. They gave their lives for the democratic rights of the people. It was through their sacrifices that J&K was liberated, and democracy took root here. Therefore, this historic day marks the dawn of a democratic era in Jammu and Kashmir," Bukhari said yesterday in a statement.
Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah condemned police actions, calling for respect on Martyrs Day and critising the removal of its state holiday status since August 2019. In a post on X, Omar said, "Another 13th July, Martyr's Day, another round of locked gates and police excesses to stop people from paying homage to those who sacrificed their lives to establish a just, fair, and democratic regime in J&K."
"Everywhere else in the country these people would have been celebrated, but in J&K the administration wants to ignore these sacrifices. This is the last year they will be able to do this. InshaAllah, next year we will mark 13th July with the solemnity and respect this day deserves."
Until August 2019, July 13 was observed as a state holiday, commemorated with flowers and prayers at the graves. However, the Central government removed it from the list of state holidays, responding to objections from the Jammu division, where many regard the last autocratic ruler, Hari Singh, as a hero.
On July 13, 1931, at least 22 unarmed men were killed outside the Central Jail in Srinagar by state forces during a protest. The protest was sparked by the trial of Abdul Qadeer Khan, believed to be from the Swat region, now in Pakistan, who was accused of treason and incitement to violence after speaking out against the Dogra rulers in Srinagar's Jama Masjid.
