Stating that the Union government has categorically “disowned” the 1931 martyrs, former Law Minister Syed Basharat Bukhari thursday said, that it was imperative for all those who have been visiting the martyr’s graveyard -for paying tributes- to identify the reasons for which these martyrs had laid down their lives.
In a statement, Mr. Bukhari wondered, ” We all have been visiting these graves since 1931 but now everybody is confused particularly post Aug 5th 2019 how to honour them when even the holiday of 13th July has been dropped from the Callender ”
Pertinently July 13th was being observed as state holiday every year prior to abrogation of article 370 to honour the Martyrs of 1931 and top goverment diginitres including Chief Ministers would visit the grayard in downtown sringar to pay tributes. The practice has been stoped post 370 and holiday struk off from the Callender.
” We had a public holiday in the state to observe the Martyrs day on 13th July every year . But the central govt has not only dropped it from the calendar now but contrary announced a holiday to observe the anniversary of the Maharaja Hari Singh, the leader they had stood against while sacrificing their lives. This indicates in categorical terms that Union government disowns all those who fought against Maharaja on July 13, 1931″ Said Mr. Bukhari , questioned as ” who will now tell people what the martyrs of 1931 stood for, because even the practice of visiting the graves was also over now.”
The former minister added, ” When the incumbent Govt disowns which the previous ones felt so important and inalienable from the history of J&K, it is but natural for the public to know who stands where, and that would be a real tribute to the souls of those martyrs ?” Said Basharat Bukhari Bukhari in the statement.
