J&K parties prepare to revive practice of paying tributes to 1931 ‘martyrs' at Srinagar graveyard
J&K regional parties, including the ruling National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and J&K Apni Party (JKAP), on Thursday (July 10, 2025) pushed for resuming the official ceremony to commemorate July 13 as Martyrs' Day in J&K, a practice that was stopped by the Lieutenant Governor during the Central rule in the Union Territory.
The elected government of the NC, which took over in October last year, has already written to J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to re-incorporate July 13 and December 5, birth anniversary of NC founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, as official holidays in line with the practice followed before the abrogation of provisions of Article 370 in 2019.
'We have already written to the L-G office to declare July 13 and December 3 as holidays. Besides, the NC has sought formal permission from the administration to allow a delegation headed by party general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar to visit the graveyard where the martyrs of 1931 are buried in the old city on July 13. We have sought a slot for 8 a.m. for the commemoration,' NC spokesman Imran Nabi Dar told The Hindu.
PDP's stand
Commenting on the NC's move to approach the Raj Bhawan for the holidays, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said the Omar Abdullah government's proposal would have carried weight if the Speaker had supported PDP's resolution for the same in the Assembly.
'The Speaker's outright rejection of the resolution was unexpected and disappointing. Today's exercise looks more like lip service than any serious effort,' Ms. Mufti said.
Last year, when there was no elected government in place, the L-G administration denied permission for regional parties to visit the Martyrs' Graveyard, also known as Mazar-e-Shuhada, located on the premises of Srinagar's Naqshband Sahib shrine.
Meanwhile, the Opposition PDP also held a meeting in Srinagar at its headquarters to announce the decision to 'visit the revered Mazar-e-Shuhada on July 13 to pay tribute to the 1931 Martyrs'. 'July 13 is a reminder of the people's struggle against tyranny and injustice,' PDP vice president Sartaj Madni said.
PDP general secretary Mohammad Khursheed Alam said the present dispensation 'may have erased the day as an official holiday, they cannot erase the truth or the history it represents'.
The PDP leaders said that 'no official order can diminish the legacy of the martyrs or the ideals they stood for'. 'Their sacrifices remain etched in the collective memory of the people and will continue to inspire future generations,' they said.
JKAP also joins request
JKAP president Altaf Bukhari also joined the regional parties' demand to declare July 13 'a gazetted holiday'. 'The elected government should restore the official ceremony to pay tributes on July 13,' he said.
The JKAP has also sought permission from the district administration to attend prayers at the Mazhar-e-Shuhada in Srinagar on July 13.
Martyrs' Day is observed on July 13 to commemorate the killing of 22 civilians, who were shot dead in a rebellion against the Dogra monarchy in 1931.
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