Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 13: Strongly condemning the infamous episode of mutiny on July 13, 1931 in Kashmir, various political and social organizations today observed ‘Black Day’ and criticized the State Government for officially observing the day as Martyrs’ Day.
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Seeking declaration of State holiday on 26th October on ‘Accession Day’ in place of 13th July which continued to be shamelessly commemorated in the name of so called “Kashmir Martyr’s Day” in J&K as Gazetted State holiday with full State honours in the BJP partnered Coalition Government, scores of Panthers Party activists staged a massive and vociferous protest demonstration spearheaded by Harsh Dev Singh, chairman, JKNPP and other senior leaders at Exhibition Ground, Jammu.
The protesters expressing their indignation over the treacherous compromises made by the BJP besides its craven surrenders before the PDP for the sake of power, burnt its effigy amid raising anti-Government slogans. Referring to the infamous episode of mutiny on July 13, 1931 in Kashmir, Harsh Dev Singh wondered about the treacherous retreat of the BJP on the observance of July 13th as ‘Martyr’s Day’ and reminisced the good old opposition days when the saffron party used to observe it as a black day. He said that while the rebels of July 13 were glorified as martyrs, the BJP partnered dispensation turned a blind eye to the Supreme sacrifices of the valiant soldiers of State.
Opposing official observation of July 13 as Martyrs’ Day, State BJP spokesperson, Prof Virender Gupta said that July 13, 1931 was most controversial event that spurred the Muslim communal politics in Jammu and Kashmir while sidelining the ethos of Sufism in the Valley. It hurts the sentiments of the majority of the people and divide the society on the communal lines. He added that this event cannot be termed as the beginning of struggle against autocracy and for democracy, equality and liberty in the State.
Prof Virender said that the barbaric event on July 13, 1931 was result of conspiracy of Britishers against Maharaja who in Round Table Conference of 1930 forcefully advocated in favour of independence of India and also boasted of communal harmony in his State. The spokesperson added that it was a day in the background of which the Muslim Conference founded by Sheikh Mohd Abdullah started its journey of revolt against Hindu Maharaj and Hindu community in general. Observing this day as Martyrs’ Day officially is questionable, he added.
Advocate Chander Mohan Sharma, senior leader of J&K BJP and convener, Namami Gange Mission/Tawi Andolan, today called for immediate halt the practice of observing July 13 as Martyr’s Day and State holiday. Addressing a media conference here today he said it is mockery on the history where in villains are being glorified as martyrs. He said that the whole world knows that incident of 13 July in Srinagar was an outcome of a conspiracy hatched by Britishers against Maharaja for his refusal to handover Galgit agency to Britishers.
“How the culprits of rioting can be cherished as the martyrs”, he said, adding perpetual observation of so called Martyrs’ Day or ‘Yaomeshouda’ has given rise to fundamentalism and separatism. He called upon the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to come out to abolish this unhealthy practice to follow the footsteps of her visionary father who had adopted nation as a whole as his political constituency and not limited himself into the narrow politics of Kashmir valley only.
Various Kashmiri Pandit organizations under the banner of All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference held a protest dharna outside Governor Secretariat here at Panjthirthi Jammu and marked 13th July as a black day describing it as a day of loot, arson and plunder of Kashmiri Pandit community by fundamentalist and fanatics in year 1931. President, ASKPC, Ravinder Raina, addressing the huge gathering, stressed to pledge for keeping this painful and brutal event of 13th July alive always as a black day in the history and pay homage to those community brothers who were killed, looted and tortured.
He also said it is shameful that neglecting the victims of this barbarism and atrocity, the Government pays homage to killers and looters by declaring them as martyrs and also declaring as a State holiday which is unwarranted for the acts committed by the looters and warned Government of India to shun the path of appeasement else present turmoil in Kashmir will hardly end and Batengu like incident will remain happening that shall claims lives of selected community people.
In connection with the observance of Black Day today, Panun Kashmir held a protest demonstration outside Press Club of Jammu. The protest was led by Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo, president, Panun Kashmir. The leaders in their speeches castigated the State Government for continuing the practice of observing this day as so-called Martyrs Day. They said that the nationalist population is committed to observe 13th July every year as Black Day.
Chrungoo and other leaders in their address said that seeds of secession and terrorism were sown on this day which ultimately resulted in the ethnic cleansing of the Hindu community from Kashmir in 1989-90. While paying respects to the Hindu minority community victims of 1931, they said that the community has been facing this bias and discrimination at all levels since 1931. They appealed the Government to review its policies in respect of the displaced community of Kashmiri Pandits who are in continuous exile for the last 28 years. They demanded a full-fledged inquiry into the happenings of 1931, saying it is needed in order to uncover the mist that has been put on the historical facts.
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