For second year, no holiday, no official function on Martyrs’ Day in Jammu and Kashmir

After the abrogation of Article 370, the public holiday, on July 13 was omitted from the list by the administration

For the second consecutive year, there was no official holiday and official function to commemorate Martyrs' Day in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.

There was also no shutdown call by separatists like they used to do till 2019 to commemorate the day. The day used to be commemorated officially from 1947 till 2019 to remember 22 Kashmiris, who were gunned down by the forces of autocratic Dogra ruler after the people rose against Maharaja’s rule for their rights on July 13, 1931.

Till 2019, while the separatist leadership was prevented from holding a rally on this day, the heads of the local government used to visit the martyrs' graveyard in old city to pay homage to the martyrs.

However, after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, the public holiday, on July 13 was omitted from the list by the administration.

The regional National Conference blamed the administration for not allowing the party leaders to offer prayers and floral tributes at the martyrs’ graveyard. The party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said they had sought permission from the administration to offer prayers and floral tributes at the martyrs graveyard “but the administration did not respond to repeated calls.”

NC president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah while paying rich tributes to the martyrs, called the day a landmark in the history of Jammu and Kashmir.

CPI(M) leader, Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, while remembering the martyrs, said July 13 is commemorated as the struggle of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for upholding social justice, democratic and human values. “It is a historic event and its significance will remain for future generations as well,” he said.

A senior official said there was no question of holding any function on July 13 as the government has already dropped the day from the list of gazzetted holidays. “Strict restrictions were imposed in old city areas of Srinagar to prevent anybody from visiting the martyrs’ graveyard,” he said.