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Omar scales wall to pay tribute at martyrs’ graves
Omar Abdullah and NC leaders bypassed police to honor 21 martyrs from 1931, criticizing attempts to block their tribute at the graveyard in Srinagar.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah and his National Conference colleagues on Monday dodged police curbs, sprinted on foot and scaled a wall to pay tributes to 21 Kashmiris killed by the Dogra army in 1931, a day after several political leaders were allegedly not allowed to visit the Mazar-e-Shohada (martyrs’ graveyard) in Old City area of Srinagar.
“Paid my respects & offered Fatiha (prayers) at the graves of the martyrs of 13th July 1931. The unelected government tried to block my way forcing me to walk from Nawhatta chowk. They blocked the gate to Naqshband Sahib shrine forcing me to scale a wall. They tried to physically grapple me but I was not going to be stopped today,” Omar posted on X.
Health and education minister Sakina Ittoo also reached the graveyard on a scooty, allegedly without any official protocol. NC president Farooq Abdullah also offered prayers at the cemetery.
Omar also criticised lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha and the police for allegedly trying to stop him and his entourage from entering the martyrs’ graveyard.
“It is sad that on the instructions of the people who claim that their responsibility is the security and law and order, we were not allowed to offer Fatiha here. We were kept in house arrest (on Sunday)...” Omar told reporters after paying tributes at the graveyard.
“Barriers were raised, but so was our resolve. Today, we stood firm at the Mazar-e-Shohada, offering Fatiha, laying flowers, and honouring the valour of 1931,” he said, adding “...Attempts were made to stop us. We aren’t slaves of anybody but slave of our own people.”
Videos of the CM and his party colleagues scaling the wall of the cemetery were shared widely on social media.
Omar said: “...I was doing nothing unlawful or illegal. In fact these ‘protectors of the law’ need to explain under what law they were trying to stop us from offering Fatiha.”
A political row erupted after the incident. While BJP accused the CM and the NC of reviving the “politics of graves to remain politically relevant”, West Bengal chief minister termed the alleged action by the security forces to prevent Omar and others from visiting the grave “shocking” and shameful”.
J&K BJP spokesman Altaf Thakur said, “Omar Abdullah is shamelessly indulging in the politics of graves just to remain politically relevant. By glorifying the events of 1931, he is whitewashing a day soaked in the blood of innocent Kashmiri Pandits. This is not a tribute, it’s a calculated provocation.”
Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said Omar should shift his focus on upholding the dignity and fundamental rights of the people now that he has “tasted the bitter medicine of authoritarian high-handedness”.
“Power teaches little, Powerlessness teaches more! Today the CM sahab @omarabdullah tasted the bitter medicine of authoritarian high handedness and subsequent helplessness that common Kashmiri’s face everyday in different forms, as all agency and space is denied to them,” the Mirwaiz said in a post on X.
“Hoping this experience shifts his focus to what is the first priority of every people- upholding their dignity, and their fundamental rights, and work sincerely towards its restoration,” Mirwaiz added.
July 13 was observed as Martyrs’ Day by mainstream politicians and separatists in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in memory of the 21 Kashmiris who were killed by the army of Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh during an uprising in 1931 when the region was a princely state.
