Srinagar, Mar 06: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti led a protest march here against the remarks made by Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sunil Kumar Sharma regarding the observance of July 13 as “Martyrs’ Day” in Jammu and Kashmir.
The protest, which concluded at Polo View Srinagar, saw participation from PDP General Secretary Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Iqbal Tramboo, Ab Qayoom Bhat, Arif Laigaroo, Dr Ali Mohammad, Zahoor Ahmad and other party members.
The protest was in response to Sharma’s statement in the Legislative Assembly, where he allegedly referred to the martyrs of July 13, 1931, as “traitors”, opposing the restoration of the day as a public holiday, the PDP said in a press release.
Addressing the media during the protest, Iltija Mufti emphasised the significance of July 13, 1931, terming it as the beginning of Jammu and Kashmir’s “struggle for democracy”. “The people of J&K made sacrifices for democratic ideals, just as the rest of the country did; the only difference being that our struggle was against a local ruler,” she said.
Condemned Sharma’s remarks, Mufti said, “Labelling the martyrs as traitors is unacceptable. The BJP is attempting to distort historical facts for political gain. It is trying to manipulate history with a divisive agenda. If they truly revere Maharaja Hari Singh, why did they revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s state flag, its constitution and the special status that he had negotiated at the time of accession?”
PDP General Secretary Alam in his address called for preserving the legacy of the “July 13 Martyrs”. “The sacrifices made by the martyrs of July 13, 1931, are the foundation of our struggle for democracy and justice. Any attempt to demean their legacy is an affront to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
