CM, Ministers pay tributes to martyrs
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, July 13: Normal life across Kashmir valley was disrupted today due to a strike called by the Hurriyat Conference factions and curfew like restrictions imposed by the police in parts of Srinagar.
Police sealed the downtown areas of Srinagar and imposed curfew like restrictions in five police station areas as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his several cabinet colleagues visited Martyrs’ graveyard to pay tributes.
Most of the shops and other business establishments across Kashmir valley remained closed due to the strike. Public transport remained off the roads while only few private cars were plying the roads in the city and other major towns of the Valley. However, shops in some localities in the peripheries were also open.
The Hurriyat Conference factions headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had called for a strike and march to Martyrs’ graveyard at Naqshband Sahib to pay homage to 22 persons killed in firing by Maharajas soldiers on this day in 1931.
Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani and his associates, including Ayaz Akbar and Rafiq Ganie were arrested near Hyderpora when they tried to march towards Naqashband Sahib early morning.
JKLF Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik and chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Omar Farooq were also put under house arrest on Thursday evening.
However, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Javed Ahmed Mir, Shabir Ahmed Dar, Hilal Ahmed War, Ahsan Untoo and Yousuf Naqash forced their way through the posse of police personnel posted outside Shah’s Rawalpora residence to stage protest.
They also with several supporters of Shah were whisked away by police and lodged at Police Station Saddar.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was first to reach the graveyard under tight security to pay rich tributes to the martyrs of July 13, 1931 describing them as heroes against suppression and totalitarianism. “The sacrifice of the martyrs to free the society from autocracy and lay edifice for democracy and human dignity is one of the richest chapters of the history of Jammu and Kashmir,” Omar said in a statement.
The Chief Minister said the best way to pay homage to the martyrs is to help create equitable and palatable environment for everyone to grow and nurture in a democratic atmosphere.
Minister for Rural Development, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Minister for Public Enterprises, Peerzada Mohammad Sayed, Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir, Minister for CAPD, Qamar Ali Akhoon, Minister for Higher Education, Abdul Gani Malik, Minister for Industries, SS Slathia, Advisors to the Chief Minister, Mubarak Gul and Devender Singh Rana, Minister of State for Rural Development, Ajaz Ahmad Khan, Minister of State for Power, Shabir Ahmad Khan, Minister of State for R and B, Javid Ahmad Dar MLA, Hazratbal, Dr. Mustafa Kamal and MLA, Sonwar, Muhammad Yaseen Shah were accompanying the Chief Minister.
The former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad also visited the graveyard to pay floral tributes. While speaking to media, he criticized the State Government for imposing restrictions in parts of city. He said that during his Government there were no restrictions on the movement on people.
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