Political tension escalated in Jammu and Kashmir after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was reportedly denied entry to the Martyrs’ graveyard in Srinagar to pay tribute on the occasion of Martyrs’ Day. Since the access was blocked by the security forces, Abdullah climbed over the locked gate to offer Fateha (prayer) at the gravesite.
Martyrs’ Day is observed annually on July 13 to commemorate the killing of 22 Kashmiris by the Dogra army in 1931.
The day holds a deep historical significance in the region even though it was dropped off from the list of gazetted holidays by the lieutenant governor’s administration in 2020.
Abdullah was accompanied by senior National Conference (NC) leaders, including his father and NC president Farooq Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Chaudhary, and several other party leaders and members.
On reaching the Naqshband Sahib graveyard, they were reportedly stopped by the security personnel. Defying the restrictions, Abdullah managed to dodge security personnel and reach the graveyard to offer Fateha (prayers) for the martyrs.
“We are not slaves. If this is your version of normalcy, then you can keep it.”, he reported to the media. He further remarked, “These police officers who wear uniforms sometimes forget law and order”.
The dramatic moment, captured on video, quickly gained attention on social media and reignited political tensions between the Union government and opposition parties.
West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her outrage over the incident, calling it “unfortunate” and “shameful.” She questioned the justification behind stopping an elected leader from paying homage. Banerjee further stated that such actions amount to snatching away the democratic rights of citizens.
Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister M.K. Stalin strongly condemned the alleged house arrest of J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, calling it a grim reflection of democratic backsliding. Stalin criticised the BJP-led Union Government for allegedly placing the elected Chief Minister under house arrest for merely seeking to pay tribute to the 1931 martyrs.
He warned, “From Tamil Nadu to Kashmir, the Union BJP Government is systematically stripping away the rights of elected state governments” in an X post.
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav responded with sharp poetic criticism, questioning the Union government’s repeated imposition of restrictions. He remarked that if the government continues to impose restrictions on every act and expression, it must also be prepared for the consequences when power eventually shifts.
He asked the ruling establishments, “Which border will you jump across then?”
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly condemned the actions taken against Jammu and Kashmir’s elected leadership. The CPI(M) described the move as contemptuous and undemocratic, calling it a direct attack on the legitimacy of an elected government.
This episode has again heightened the tensions between the Union government and J&K’s elected leadership. So far, no official statement has been released by the central government.
The party reiterated its demand for the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and urged the Centre to respect the people’s democratic verdict.
