Kashmir Martyrs' Day: Mehbooba Mufti, other politicians claim they're under house arrest

Mehbooba Mufti. Pic/AFP

Several Jammu and Kashmir political figures, including PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, said on Saturday that they were placed under house arrest on Kashmir Martyrs' Day. The leaders claimed that they were placed under arrest to prevent them from visiting the 'martyrs' graveyard' to commemorate the 22 Kashmiris killed by the Dogra army in 1931. There has been no formal confirmation of these allegations.

Mehbooba Mufti, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, claimed to be under house arrest at her home in Khimber, on the city's outskirts on Kashmir Martyrs' Day. "The gates of my house have been locked to prevent me from visiting Mazar e Shuhada, a symbol of Kashmir's resistance and resilience against oppression and injustice," she wrote on X, (formerly Twitter), reported PTI.

She tweeted that the "sacrifices of our martyrs demonstrate that the spirit of Kashmiris cannot be crushed," yet "observing this day in remembrance of the martyrs has been criminalised." Referring to the repeal of Article 370 and the division of Jammu and Kashmir into Union Territories, she stated, "On August 5, 2019, J&K was dismembered and stripped of everything sacred to us.". These assaults will only fuel our will to fight for our rights and dignity.

Sajad Lone, head of the People's Conference, also alleged that he was under house arrest. "I really fail to understand what the administration gains by stopping people from going to the martyrs' graveyard," Lone wrote to X. He underlined that people have the right to choose their heroes and martyrs are heroes for the people of Kashmir. "Believing that a government will decide on historical heroes is a clear sign of despotism," he added, stated the report.

Nasir Aslam Wani, the provincial president of the National Conference (NC) in Kashmir, also found his residential gate closed by police on Kashmir Martyrs' Day. "We will always remember the sacrifices of the martyrs," Wani told the audience. Salman Sagar, the president of the NC youth branch, and other party members reported being placed under house arrest, stated PTI.

According to the report, earlier on Kashmir Martyrs' Day, police barred Apni Party leaders, including president Altaf Bukhari, from marching to the "martyrs' graveyard". They prayed on the road instead.

NC vice president Omar Abdullah declared that starting next year, Jammu and Kashmir will observe July 13 to honour the 22 martyrs. "This is the last year that the administration can prevent us from honouring our martyrs. "Next year, we'll treat July 13 with the respect it deserves," he wrote on X, the PTI report stated.

The Supreme Court has directed the Union government to complete the process of holding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30 this year.

NC MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi denounced the limits, describing them as a "huge and ugly shift" away from democratic norms. "Stopping people from paying respects to the martyrs is disrespectful to the idea of democracy," Mehdi said per PTI.

Previously, July 13 was a public holiday in Jammu and Kashmir, with big formal ceremonies held every year. However, it was deleted from the list of gazetted holidays in 2020, following the repeal of Article 370. This year, no formal functions were organised, and limitations were placed on the Naqshbandh region of Nowhatta to prevent crowds and maintain law and order.