Srinagar, July 12: Several Jammu and Kashmir based political parties have paid rich tributes to martyrs of 1931.
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President, Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah on Sunday paid glowing tributes to the martyrs of 1931, saying the day marked the inauguration of struggle of Jammu and Kashmir against oppression and discrimination.
“The brave men who laid their lives on the 13th of July 1931 belonged to a generation of wisdom, and vision. It was them who saw in darkness and despair a vision for the forthcoming generations, they envisioned a society free from bondage, discrimination and oppression. Every year we invocate, remember the supreme sacrifice of the martyrs to galvanize our lives with their mission as was done by Sher-e-Kashmir all through his life,” Dr Farooq said in a statement issued.
Party’s Vice President Omar Abdullah while paying tributes to the martyrs said that the 13th July marks the collective defiance of the oppressed against oppressors.
Other party leaders also paid tributes to martyrs.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman in a statement said that the memory of 13th July martyrs cannot be erased by changing the government calendar of holidays as they will live forever in the hearts and memories of every freedom loving democrat.
He said that the martyrs laid down their lives for the empowerment of the people of J&K and that it is tragic that the ‘myopic and communal actions of the present government demolished with one stroke on August 5, all the progress that had been achieved in the last seven decades’.
“The resultant chaos is now showing results that are completely opposite to what had been sold to the people of India at the time of scrapping of state constitution and special status granted by the constitution of India,” said the spokesman.
The spokesman further said: “We reject the undemocratic status quo imposed on us by the BJP government, which has deprived us of our autonomy, freedom and human dignity, which underpin the constitution. We demand an immediate end to Centre’s denial of the political issue….. We cannot afford to remain silent any longer. We must act now to restore our dignity and take charge of our own destinies.”
CPI(M) leader, M Y Tarigami in a statement said that July 13th is remembered as martyrs day as Kashmiris struggled against tyranny and for freedom.
“The protests to overthrow oppressive monarchy and feudalism were joined by mass of workers and peasants and other sections of the population who were suffering from age old oppression and exploitation. 13th July proved to be a turning point,” he said.
He further said that there were attempts by communal forces to undermine the historic significance of this day, adding, elements who are trying to shatter the secular and plural ethos of J&K should not be allowed to succeed in their ‘nefarious designs’.
“It is high time that political parties in J&K, cutting across the ideological divide, introspect as what went wrong and unitedly strive for the rights of people of this region. That would be the best tribute to the martyrs of July 13, 1931,” he said.
While paying glowing tributes to the martyrs of 13th July 1931, Peoples Conference senior vice president and former minister Abdul Gani Vakil said that their valiant sacrifices would continue to inspire people of the state to fight for their rights, dignity and justice.
“The movement against the monarchy was started and led by the people of Kashmir, who immortalised their courageous fight by rendering the ultimate sacrifice of their lives. Their valiant struggle in 1931 was for change, a struggle against monarchy, oppression and feudal repression. Their struggle was for making a Kashmiri master of his own destiny. It was sincerity of their mission that their sacrifices are being still remembered by the people of the state with the same respect and spirit”, he added
“Our struggle today is the same. The present day rulers have left the monarchy well behind in their unquenchable thirst to disempower and humiliate Kashmiris. We must be inspired from the spirit that was nurtured and sown by the martyrs in 1931 and resolve to rise above self to carry forward their sacred mission of fighting for the rights, interests and dignity of disempowered Kashmiris”, he added
Paying glowing tributes to the July 13, 1931 martyrs, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Sunday said the day shall always be remembered as a turning point in the history of J&K that marked the beginning of a struggle for democracy and social justice in the region.
In a statement issued here, Bukhari said the heroes who laid down their lives on July 13 are etched in the memory of our people for their bravery and huge sacrifices given for upholding the human values which forms the core of any civilized society.
“JKAP pays humble tributes to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to pave the way for a struggle against autocracy and oppression. The contribution of the martyrs of July 13 will continue to be a beacon of people’s fight for dignity and social justice,” Bukhari observed.
“The great sacrifices of our martyrs should not be allowed to be exploited by vested interests who want to create a wedge between the people on the lines of region, caste and creed,” Bukhari averred.
