Leaders of J&K regional parties ‘detained, locked in homes' in Srinagar on anniversary of civilians killed in 1931

The Hindu

a day ago

The authorities on Sunday (July 13, 2025) detained the leaders of several regional parties, including ruling National Conference (NC) and Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to stop them from visiting the graveyard of deceased 22 civilians who died during an uprising against the Dogra king in 1931 on this day.
The security forces barricaded the shrine of Naqsband Sahib where the 22 civilians from the 1931 uprising are buried. All the roads leading to the shrine have been barricaded since Sunday morning. July 13 was scrapped as an official holiday and the practice to pay official homage was stopped by the Lieutenant Governor after the Centre ended J&K's special status in 2019.
The J&K police on Saturday (July 12) had warned of action against those who head for the shrine located in the old city in Srinagar. Several regional parties' formal applications to the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, for permissions were also denied. It included the ruling NC. The homes of senior leaders were locked from outside by the security forces in a bid to stop their movement.
The regional parties accused the police of a clampdown since Sunday (July 13) morning in Kashmir. 'Our leaders were detained at the party headquarters, Nawai Subha. We were stopped from heading towards the shrine. The police misbehaved with us and shoved us around. We are nationalist forces who have been paying tributes at the graveyard for decades now,' NC leader and MLA Khanyar Salman Sagar said.
Scores of NC leaders, including provincial president Showkat Mir, spokesman Imran Nabi Dar, Shafqat Watali, J&K Chief Minister's Adviser Nasir Aslam Wani and legislators like Tanvir Sadiq were either detained or put under house arrest, according to the NC.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described it as 'a blatantly undemocratic move'.
'In a blatantly undemocratic move homes have been locked from the outside, police and central forces deployed as jailers and major bridges in Srinagar blocked. All to stop people from visiting a historically important graveyard containing the graves of people who laid down their lives to give Kashmiris a voice and to empower them. I will never understand what the law and order government is so afraid of,' Mr. Abdullah said, in a post on X.
Mr. Abdullah said the 13th July massacre was 'our Jallianwala Bagh'. 'The people who laid down their lives did so against the British. Kashmir was being ruled under the British Paramountcy. What a shame that true heroes who fought against British rule in all its forms are today projected as villains only because they were Muslims. We may be denied the opportunity to visit their graves today but we will not forget their sacrifices,' Mr. Abdullah said.
Senior leaders of Opposition parties, including PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, J&K Apni Party (JKAP) president Altaf Bukhari and and J&K Peoples Conference (JKPC) president Sajad Lone, were also detained in their homes or offices.
Ms. Mufti posted pictures of her locked house on X. 'The day you accept our heroes as your own just as Kashmiris have embraced yours, from Mahatma Gandhi to Bhagat Singh that day, as Prime Minister Modi once said, the 'dil ki doori' (distance of hearts) will truly end. When you lay siege to the Martyrs' Graveyard, lock people in their homes to prevent them from visiting Mazar-e-Shuhada, it speaks volumes. July 13th commemorates our martyrs, those who rose against tyranny, much like countless others across the country. They will always be our heroes,' Ms. Mufti said.
The day you accept our heroes as your own just as Kashmiris have embraced yours, from Mahatma Gandhi to Bhagat Singh that day, as Prime Minister Modi once said, the "dil ki doori" (distance of hearts) will truly end.
When you lay siege to the Martyrs' Graveyard, lock people in… pic.twitter.com/PjZpH7W8We — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) July 13, 2025
PDP leader Naeem Akhtar said security forces placed him under house arrest. 'I was denied permission to pay homage to martyrs of 1931, who symbolise Kashmir's fight for freedom, democracy. Till 2019, it was a government ceremony but now banned. Found my gate locked overnight with a large contingent of police outside. Detained at home,' Mr. Akhtar said.
JKAP president Bukhari said the authorities stopped him from visiting Mazar-e-Shuhada in Naqshband Sahib, Srinagar, and locked his office to stop us from holding a prayer meeting there in memory of the martyrs of 1931.
'I urge my colleagues and party workers to hold prayer events in memory of the martyrs at their homes. I also appeal to the people to remain calm and peaceful, to pray for Esal-e-Sawab for these brave souls who live on in our hearts,' Mr. Bukhari said.
JKPC president Lone said he was also not allowed to move out of home. 'Detained. I don't know why the Union government is so keen to redefine what is sacred for the people of Kashmir. The sacrifices rendered on July 13 are sacred for all of us. Denigrating these sacrifices and stopping everyone from going to the martyrs graveyard, if anything elevates these sacrifices to a new high. Histories that are etched in blood don't vanish,' Mr. Lone said.
July 13, 1931, was observed as 'Martyrs Day' in J&K to commemorate the killing of 22 civilians, who were shot dead in a rebellion against the Dogra monarchy. These protests resulted in the first ever elections in J&K, which saw representation to all sections of the society. It used to be an official holiday in J&K but was dropped by the L-G following the abrogation of provisions of Article 370 in 2019. The BJP leaders in Kashmir maintained that these civilians were 'rioters' and not national heroes.