Tensions Rise as Leaders Defy Restrictions to Pay Tribute on Kashmir Martyrs' Day

Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, made a bold move on Monday by scaling the boundary wall of Mazar-e-Shuhada in Srinagar's Naqshband Sahib to offer prayers, following a block by security forces. This development unfolded just a day after the state's police had sealed off the Martyrs' cemetery, confining top political leaders, including Abdullah, in their residences, preventing any anniversary commemorations for those killed by Maharaja Hari Singh's Dogra forces on July 13, 1931.

In a statement on social media platform X, Abdullah articulated his defiance, explaining that he had been under house arrest on Kashmir Martyrs' Day and had circumvented the barricades set up by an unelected government. He walked from Nawhatta chowk and scaled a wall after the entrance to Naqshband Sb shrine was blocked. Despite physical attempts to stop him, Abdullah expressed determination to complete his homage to the 1931 martyrs.

The restrictive measures drew criticism from Abdullah, who voiced disappointment over the limited media exposure of the lockdown, highlighting how only a few newspapers gave this occurrence prominence. Furthermore, accusing New Delhi's unelected representatives of undemocratic practices, Abdullah's sentiment was echoed by other political figures. CPI(M) MLA Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami and JKNC's Tanvir Sadiq added to the calls for democracy and historic observance, underscoring the unjustified nature of suppressing tributes. Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP emphasized reconciliation, urging for recognition of local heroes to bridge the divide between Kashmir and the broader Indian nation.