J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah scaled a locked gate at Srinagar's martyrs' graveyard to offer prayers after being stopped by police. He condemned the L-G administration for restrictions on Martyrs' Day tribute.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah climbed over the locked gate of Naqshband Sahib graveyard on Monday morning to offer prayers to the martyrs of July 13, 1931, after being blocked by police from entering.
The graveyard, also known as Mazar-e-Shuhada, is the resting place of 22 Kashmiri protesters killed by the Dogra army during a peaceful demonstration outside Srinagar Central Jail in 1931. Their death is commemorated as Martyrs' Day in the region.
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Graveyard gates locked, roads sealed
Security forces had sealed all major routes to the graveyard from Khanyar and Nowhatta in downtown Srinagar. Omar Abdullah and several National Conference (NC) leaders had been placed under house arrest a day before, on July 13, to prevent them from visiting the site.
Despite this, Omar reached Khanyar with his security convoy. When his car could not move further, he walked over a kilometre to reach the site, only to find the main gate locked by authorities.
Without waiting, Omar climbed over the boundary gate, followed by his security guards and party workers. The gates were later opened.
"They tried to stop us, but we came anyway"
Speaking to the media, a visibly angry Omar Abdullah condemned the actions of the police and the Lieutenant Governor's administration.
"We were not allowed to offer fateha. We were put under house arrest yesterday and stopped again today. This is not how a free country works," he said.
He claimed that police tried to grab him physically and even attempted to tear down party flags, but his group managed to enter and offer prayers peacefully.
"We'll come whenever we want to"
Omar accused the authorities of misusing their uniform and forgetting the law.
“They think we’re their slaves. We are not. We are public servants,” he added.
“The martyrs' graves are not here only on July 13. We will come here in December, February, or whenever we feel like,” he said.
Farooq Abdullah arrives in auto, Sakina Ittoo on scooty
Other party leaders also found creative ways to reach the memorial.
Farooq Abdullah, Omar's father and party president, took an autorickshaw from Khanyar to the graveyard. Sakina Ittoo, senior NC leader and Education Minister, rode pillion on a scooty to the site.
Both offered prayers despite the restrictions.
Unelected government blocking elected voices, says Omar
In a post on X, Omar accused the 'unelected government' of using force to block elected representatives. “They forced me to walk from Nawhatta chowk. They blocked the gate. They grappled with me. But I was not going to be stopped today,” he wrote.
He also pointed out the irony of being stopped on July 14, even though the restrictions were officially for July 13.
Martyrs' Day no longer a public holiday
The Lt Governor's administration under Manoj Sinha removed Martyrs' Day from the official list of gazetted holidays in 2020. This has drawn criticism from political parties and civil society.
Despite the removal from the calendar, parties like the National Conference have continued to observe it.
