The historical significance of July 13, 1931, observed as “Martyrs’ Day” in India-occupied Kashmir, sparked a heated debate during the legislative assembly’s budget session on Wednesday, as reported by The Wire.
Tensions flared when all 28 members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a walkout after Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather expunged remarks by BJP’s Leader of the Opposition, Sunil Sharma, who controversially referred to the 22 Kashmiris killed by Dogra forces in 1931 as “traitors.”
Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq strongly condemned Sharma’s remarks, asserting that the slain Kashmiris were “killed in cold blood for standing up for the rights and dignity of the oppressed people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
The incident traces back to July 13, 1931, when thousands of Kashmiris gathered at Srinagar’s central jail to witness the trial of Abdul Qadeer, who had called for an uprising against Dogra rule. In response, soldiers opened fire, killing 22 protesters, who were later buried in Srinagar’s Mazar-i-Shuhada (martyrs’ graveyard).
Prior to New Delhi’s revocation of occupied Kashmir’s special status on August 5, 2019, political leaders from both ruling and opposition parties would annually pay tribute to these martyrs.
During the session, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Waheed Parra called for the reinstatement of July 13 as a public holiday. He also proposed December 5, the birthday of National Conference (NC) founder Sheikh Abdullah, be declared a public holiday. However, both dates were removed from the official list of holidays after Kashmir’s status was downgraded to a union territory in 2019.
Parra argued that honoring July 13 was essential to uphold the democratic legacy of Kashmir, emphasizing that the 22 men who died had sacrificed their lives for democratic rights, including those of Jammu’s Hindu population.
He also urged the speaker to allow debates on issues affecting the masses, warning that stifling discussion could fuel separatism and instability. “Jammu and Kashmir has been reduced to a municipality. If discussions are not permitted, it will only lead to more violence. Pakistan will gain strength if the people of J&K are silenced,” he warned.
Parra had already submitted a resolution to restore July 13 as a public holiday, but BJP leader Sharma objected, reiterating his claim that the 22 slain Kashmiris were “not martyrs, but traitors.”
