Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday targeted the JK police, as the police tried to stop him from reading Fatiha (prayer) in memory of the 22 “martyrs” killed to protest against Maharaja Hari Singh’s rule.
Abdullah insisted, “We are not a slave to anyone.” He further said that he should be told that under which law he was prevented from going to Mazar-e-Shuhada in Srinagar’s map Sahib. The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said that despite efforts to stop him, he managed to offer prayers.
Abdullah told reporters here, “I want to know under which law I was stopped. The restrictions were imposed yesterday. They say it is an independent country, but they think we are their slaves. We are not a slave to someone. We are only slaves of the people here. We have failed their efforts. We tried to tear our flag. But we will always read the fans. They stopped us on 13 July, but how long will they continue to do this? We will come here whenever they want. “
The Chief Minister claimed that after expressing his desire to offer prayers in the map Sahib cemetery, everyone was “under house arrest” and bunkers were put out outside their residence. He said that this is why today without telling “the cemetery of the martyrs” went.
“It is unfortunate that on the orders of those who explain the responsibility of maintaining law and order, we were not allowed to read Fatiha yesterday. Everyone was placed under house arrest since morning.”
Abdullah said, “When I told the control room that I want to come here to study Fatiha, then in a few minutes, bunkers were put outside my house. And they stayed there till 12-1 in the night. Today I came here without telling them. See their shameless, they tried to stop us again. These policemen sometimes forget to follow the law.”
Abdullah offered prayers by jumping the boundary wall of Mazar-e-Shuhada at the map Sahib in Srinagar after allegedly stopped by security forces. This incident took place at a time when the Jammu and Kashmir police sealed the martyr’s cemetery a day earlier and the top political leaders including Abdullah were arrested inside their houses. The police had banned the martyrs from going to the cemetery (Mazar-e-Shuhada) on July 13, 1931 to celebrate the anniversary of the protesters killed by the Dogra Army of Maharaja Hari Singh.
Abdullah said that he had not informed anyone before going to Mazar-e-Shuhada, as he was put under house arrest on Kashmir Martyr’s Day yesterday.
The cemetery is associated with the dargah of Khwaja Bahauddin map.
Abdullah wrote on X, “Take a look at our local newspapers of both Jammu and Srinagar. You will be able to make a difference between cowards and courage. The cowards have completely suppressed that tomorrow the entire elected government and most of the elected representatives were jailed. Given. I hope that the size of the envelope must have been worth it. “
Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami also posted on X, stating, “My gate was locked, I was placed under house arrest and deprived of the right to pay tribute to the martyrs of July 13. This day reminds us of those who resist him in our collective memory and we all sacrific their lives for the better future.”
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) chief spokesperson and Jadibal MLA Tanveer Sadiq also alleged that the elected representatives in the Union Territory were placed under house arrest to prevent the martyrs from paying tribute to the martyrs.
When the martyrs are not allowed to enter the cemetery, the Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti said that the “distance of hearts” between Kashmir and the rest of India will end when the Center will accept the heroes of Kashmir, in the same way as Kashmiris have adopted national celebrities.
The PDP chief wrote on X, “The day you accept our heroes as their own, as Kashmiris have adopted from Mahatma Gandhi to Bhagat Singh, on that day, as Prime Minister Modi once said, ‘The distance of the heart’ will actually end.”
He added, “When you laiers the martyrs’ cemetery, closes them in their homes to prevent people from going to Mazar-e-Shudha, it says a lot. 13 July remembers our martyrs, who got up against atrocities like countless people across the country. They will always be our hero.”
Martyr’s Day in Kashmir, earlier celebrated as an official holiday in the state, was removed in 2019 after the cancellation of Article 370.
