Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday accused the BJP of attempting to communalise the legacy of the 1931 ‘martyrs’, alleging that the party had turned their sacrifice into a “Hindu-Muslim, Dogra-Kashmiri and Jammu-Kashmir” issue.
Speaking to reporters after paying tributes to the July 13, 1931, martyrs’ at the PDP office in Srinagar, Mehbooba said the 22 Kashmiris who laid down their lives while opposing the then Dogra rule deserved the same respect accorded to other freedom fighters of India.
“Today, 22 Kashmiris sacrificed their lives for the cause of their country. At that time, the entire nation was fighting against British rule. We honour martyrs like Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Ashfaqullah Khan, and we accept their sacrifices. But when it comes to the sacrifices of Kashmiris, the BJP has made it a question of Hindu-Muslim, Dogra-Kashmiri and Jammu-Kashmir,” she said.
The LG administration on Monday barricaded the ‘Martyrs’ Graveyard at Naqshband Sahib in old Srinagar, where 22 civilians killed during the 1931 are buried, and allegedly prevented leaders of several Jammu and Kashmir political parties from visiting the site to pay tributes.
Mehbooba said the 1931 martyrs had raised their voices against “autocratic rule” and laid the foundation for the present political awakening in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Our elders fought against autocratic rule and embraced martyrdom. These martyrs revived our nation and laid the foundation for where we stand today. The BJP cannot control the minds of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.
Drawing a contrast between the BJP’s ideological position and the legacy of India’s freedom movement, Mehbooba said, “For us, the martyrs of 1931 are heroes, just as Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Ashfaqullah Khan are heroes. For the BJP, Godse is a hero. The martyrs of 1931 will always remain our martyrs, no matter how much they try to erase or control their memory.”
She also alleged that the administration had prevented political leaders from commemorating the anniversary, claiming that she had been detained a day earlier while restrictions were imposed on Monday around Naqshband cemetery where those killed in 1931 are buried.
“This is the BJP’s injustice. If they cannot respect our martyrs, they should at least not stop us from paying our tributes,” she said.
The July 13 anniversary commemorates the killing of 22 protesters outside Srinagar Central Jail in 1931 during the Dogra monarchy. The observance has remained politically contentious in recent years, with the BJP opposing its official commemoration while several Kashmir-based political parties continue to describe those killed as martyrs.
Meanwhile, Hurriyat chairman and Kashmir chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also claimed to have been placed under house arrest.
“It is painful and unfortunate that the people of Jammu Kashmir are prevented by force, from offering fatiha and paying homage to the martyrs, as all roads leading to Mazar-e-Shuhada, Naqshband Sahib, are blocked and barricaded and restrictions imposed around Jama Masjid Srinagar and I have once again been placed under house arrest,” said the Mirwaiz.
“Graveyards may be sealed, roads blocked and people confined, the Martyrs live in our hearts, and our collective memory for all times,” he added.
