NC, PDP, JKAP seek revival of official holiday, ceremony; PDP accuses Omar govt of ‘double-speak’ as NC writes to LG
Arteev Sharma
Jammu: A renewed political row has erupted in Jammu and Kashmir over the demand for observing July 13 as “Martyrs’ Day”, with major regional parties, including the ruling National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), seeking that the day be reinstated as an official holiday, along with the resumption of commemorative ceremonies to mark the occasion.
The day was removed from the list of gazetted holidays by the Lieutenant Governor’s administration following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
In a fresh move, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led NC government has written to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, requesting that both July 13 and December 5—the birth anniversary of NC founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah—be reinstated as official holidays.
“We have written to the L-G office to declare July 13 and December 5 as official holidays,” said NC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar.
The NC leader said, “We have sought administrative permission for a party delegation, led by General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, to visit the Mazar-e-Shuhada in Srinagar on July 13”.
In a letter addressed to the District Magistrate of Srinagar, Sagar confirmed the party’s plan to observe Martyrs’ Day as per tradition. He requested necessary security arrangements for a visit to the graveyard in the old city, stating that party president Dr. Farooq Abdullah would be accompanied by senior leaders for the floral tribute at 8 am. “Please confirm the proposed timing or allot a specific time slot so that there is no confusion,” the letter read.
The NC’s official handle on X (formerly Twitter) expressed hope that the administration would honour this “democratic and peaceful” request, allowing the party to observe the day in accordance with “tradition and sentiment.”
However, the NC’s move invited sharp criticism from rival PDP which accused the ruling party of “double-speak” and “duplicity” on Kashmir’s historic legacy.
In a statement, the PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said the Omar Abdullah government’s proposal would have carried weight if the Speaker had supported PDP’s resolution for the same in the Assembly.
“The Speaker’s outright rejection of the resolution was unexpected and disappointing. Today’s exercise looks more like lip service than any serious effort,” she said, adding “By dropping PDP’s July 13 Martyrs’ Day resolution, the J&K Assembly has exposed NC’s double-speak on Kashmir’s history. Their silence proves complicity, not commitment”.
She said that her party strongly condemns the NC’s alleged doublespeak and duplicity on Kashmir’s historical legacy, particularly in light of recent developments surrounding the Martyrs’ Day – 13`h July.
Mehbooba said that the PDP believes that July 13, 1931, marks “the beginning of Kashmir’s political awakening and resistance to autocracy, and the martyrdom of 22 brave individuals” must be formally honoured, not just in words but through institutional recognition.
“The PDP reiterates its unwavering commitment to preserving the dignity and memory of the 1931 martyrs and safeguarding the democratic foundations they laid. We will continue to resist all attempts, either covert or overt to erase or dilute Kashmir’s past to suit present-day political conveniences,” she added.
PDP general secretary Mohammad Khursheed Alam also weighed in, saying, “The administration may have erased July 13 from the official holiday list, but they cannot erase the truth or the history it represents.”
In a parallel move, PDP vice-president Sartaj Madni while chairing a meeting at party headquarters in Srinagar announced that party leaders would visit Mazar-e-Shuhada on July 13 to pay homage to the martyrs. “July 13 is a solemn reminder of the people’s struggle against tyranny and injustice,” he said.
Jammu Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) president Altaf Bukhari also joined the chorus, urging the government to reinstate July 13 as a gazetted holiday. “The elected government should resume the official ceremony for July 13,” he said. JKAP has also sought permission from the district administration to offer prayers at the “Martyrs’ Graveyard” on the day.
Last year, in the absence of an elected government, the L-G administration denied permission for political leaders to gather at Mazar-e-Shuhada, located within Srinagar’s historic Naqshband Sahib shrine complex.
Kashmiri Pandits observed the day as “black day”. The KP leaders said, “this day is being observed by the Kashmiri Pandit community as the Black Day since 1932 in commemoration of the persecution that was inflicted upon the society on that day in the Valley of Kashmir. On this day, the Hindu community was subjected to loot, arson, murder and mayhem on a large scale in the Valley”.
The BJP, Panthers Party and other social and political organisations also opposed the idea of observing July 13 as “Martyrs Day”.
