A dramatic scene was witnessed in Srinagar on Monday when Jammu and Kashmir's ex-Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, his father Dr. Farooq Abdullah, and some members of the National Conference (NC) made a surprise trip to the Martyrs' Graveyard.
Their visit, meant to honour the martyrs of the July 13, 1931 incident, resulted in clashes with security officials and a charged standoff at the graveyard.
The leaders were offering tributes to those who were shot dead during a protest in 1931, when the forces of the Dogra regime fired at a crowd that had assembled outside Srinagar Central Jail in favor of Abdul Qadeer, who was being tried in secret for provoking resistance against Maharaja Hari Singh's reign.
Omar Abdullah posted a video on social network X where he was physically blocked by security personnel from entering the graveyard.
This is physical wrestling I was subjected to but I am made of sterner stuff & was not to be deterred. I was doing nothing illegal or illegal. In fact these 'protectors of the law' should explain on what law they were attempting to hinder us from giving Fatiha," he stated in the post.
In spite of official restrictions and refusal of permission by the district magistrate to any visit to the cemetery, the NC delegation, which consisted of Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary, advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, and a number of ministers, went to the location in downtown Srinagar. They performed Fatiha and laid flowers on the graves of the 1931 martyrs.
Omar Abdullah blamed the administration for putting people under house arrest, including NC leaders, to prevent them from joining the tribute. Party members on X complained of being "locked in" on remembrance day.
While certain ministers were traveling in the Chief Minister's convoy, others had to make do with alternative arrangements to reach the venue. Speaking particularly of Education Minister Sakina Itoo, she traveled pillion on a scooter after she was disallowed from using her official vehicle.
While the principal cavalcade with Omar Abdullah and top party leaders was permitted to be passed at various checkpoints, it was closer to the graveyard that the scenario became confrontational. Omar could be seen climbing a security barricade and physically fighting with personnel to reach the area.
"Paid my respects & recited Fatiha at martyrs' graveyard of 13th July 1931. The unelected govt attempted to stop me walking from Nawhatta chowk. They closed gate to Naqshband Sb shrine so I had to climb over a wall. Attempted to physically wrestle me but I was not going anywhere today," he wrote in another post on X.
Note that July 13 was a public holiday in Jammu and Kashmir before the Article 370 was revoked on August 5, 2019. Besides December 5—NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah's birth anniversary—the date was also taken off the post-reorganization official holiday list when the state was divided into two Union Territories.
The National Conference later began advocating for the restoration of both dates as public holidays.
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