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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Explained: Why is Martyrs' Day in Jammu and Kashmir controversial?
The political temperature in Jammu and Kashmir rose ahead of July 13, observed as Martyrs' Day, as police imposed restrictions and detained political leaders. According to media reports, the J&K Police, along with Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), enforced a partial lockdown in Srinagar to prevent gatherings at the Martyrs' Graveyard. Former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were reportedly denied entry to the cemetery. Calling the move 'blatantly undemocratic', he added: 'The July 13 massacre is our Jallianwala Bagh. What a shame that true heroes who fought against British rule in all its forms are today projected as villains only because they were Muslims.' Let's understand the history of Martyrs' Day in Jammu and Kashmir and why this day remains deeply divisive. Origin of Martyrs' Day Martyrs' Day commemorates the 21 Kashmiri Muslim protesters killed on July 13, 1931, by the Dogra regime during British India. The protesters had assembled outside Srinagar Central Jail, demanding the release of Abdul Qadeer Khan, who had been arrested for inciting rebellion against Maharaja Hari Singh. As the crowd swelled, Dogra troops opened fire, killing 22. The bodies were buried at the shrine of Muslim saint Khwaja Bahawuddin Naqshbandi in Srinagar. The site became known as Mazar-e-Shuhada, or the Martyrs' Graveyard. The day has since been observed as a symbol of resistance and the struggle for Kashmiri self-determination. Who was Abdul Qadeer Khan? There is limited documentation on Abdul Qadeer Khan's origins, but he is widely believed to have worked for a British officer, Major Butt, in Peshawar. In Kashmir, Khan gave impassioned speeches against the Dogra regime, leading to his arrest. He was charged with 'sedition' and provocation with 'intent to cause riot'. His arrest and trial triggered widespread protests, culminating in the July 13 killings. Revoking the holiday and ongoing demands From 1931 until 2019, July 13 was an official public holiday in Jammu and Kashmir. However, after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, the Lieutenant Governor's administration removed the day from the list of official holidays. This move was seen by many as an effort to reshape Kashmir's historical narrative. While Kashmiri Muslims regard July 13 as a day of remembrance, some Kashmiri Pandit groups have historically observed it as a 'Black Day'. Regional parties such as the National Conference, which is now in power in the Union territory, have continued to demand restoration of the holiday and permission for public observances.
Scroll.in
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
J&K parties allege their leaders detained at home, offices on Martyrs' Day
Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including the ruling National Conference, on Sunday alleged that the authorities had detained several leaders to prevent them from visiting the graveyard of the 22 civilians who were shot dead by the forces of Dogra ruler Hari Singh in 1931. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the action as ' blatantly undemocratic ', while the Opposition Peoples Democratic Party said that leaders being locked in their homes and prevented from commemorating Martyrs' Day shows Kashmir was ' getting back into the oppressive times '. July 13 is marked as Martyrs' Day to honour the 22 civilians. It was dropped as a public holiday after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government abrogated Article 370 in August 2019, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Several regional parties in the Union Territory have been demanding the resumption of the official ceremony to commemorate July 13 as Martyrs' Day. Leaders had also submitted applications to the deputy commissioner for permission, which were denied, The Hindu reported. On Saturday, the police warned that action would be taken against those heading to the shrine of Naqsband Sahib in Srinagar, where the 22 civilians are buried. Security forces also barricaded the shrine and the roads leading to it. In addition, the authorities allegedly locked the homes of several leaders from the outside on Sunday in a bid to stop their movement, the newspaper reported. National Conference MLA Khanyar Salman Sagar claimed that members were detained at the party headquarters and stopped from going towards the shrine. 'The police misbehaved with us and shoved us around,' The Hindu quoted Sagar as claiming. 'We are nationalist forces who have been paying tributes at the graveyard for decades now.' The party claimed that other members, including Showkat Mir, Imran Nabi Dar, Shafqat Watali, Nasir Aslam Wani and Tanvir Sadiq, were also either detained or put under house arrest. 'In a blatantly undemocratic move homes have been locked from the outside, police and central forces deployed as jailers and major bridges in Srinagar blocked,' Abdullah said on X. 'All to stop people from visiting a historically important graveyard containing the graves of people who laid down their lives to give Kashmiris a voice and to empower them.' The chief minister added that he would never 'understand what the law and order government is so afraid of'. In a blatantly undemocratic move homes have been locked from the outside, police & central forces deployed as jailers & major bridges in Srinagar blocked. All to stop people from visiting a historically important grave yard containing the graves of people who laid down their… — Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) July 13, 2025 The National Conference leader described the July 13 uprising as ' our Jallianwala Bagh '. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place on April 13, 1919, when British General Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to fire at a large crowd in Jallianwala Bagh in Punjab's Amritsar city. The civilians had gathered at the site to protest against the arrest of two nationalist leaders. 'The people who laid down their lives did so against the British,' Abdullah said on X. 'Kashmir was being ruled under the British Paramountcy. What a shame that true heroes who fought against British rule in all its forms are today projected as villains only because they were Muslims.' Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti posted a photo of locks on the gates of her home on X and. 'The day you accept our heroes as your own just as Kashmiris have embraced yours, from Mahatma Gandhi to Bhagat Singh that day, as Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi once said, the 'dil ki doori' [distance of hearts] will truly end,' she said. Mufti added: 'When you lay siege to the Martyrs' Graveyard, lock people in their homes to prevent them from visiting Mazar-e-Shuhada, it speaks volumes.' The day you accept our heroes as your own just as Kashmiris have embraced yours, from Mahatma Gandhi to Bhagat Singh that day, as Prime Minister Modi once said, the 'dil ki doori' (distance of hearts) will truly end. When you lay siege to the Martyrs' Graveyard, lock people in… — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) July 13, 2025 Her party colleague Naeem Akhtar claimed in a social media post that security forces had placed him under house arrest and added that he was denied permission to pay homage to the martyrs. 'Till 2019, it was a government ceremony but now banned,' he said on X. 'Found my gate locked overnight with a large contingent of police outside. Detained at home.' Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari claimed that the authorities had stopped him from visiting the graveyard and also locked his office to prevent him from holding a prayer meeting in memory of the martyrs. Now that the authorities stopped us from visiting Mazar-e-Shuhada in Naqshband Sahib, Srinagar, and locked our office to stop us from holding a prayer meeting there in memory of the martyrs of 1931, I urge my colleagues and party workers to hold prayer events in memory of the… — Altaf Bukhari (@SMAltafBukhari) July 13, 2025 Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone alleged that he detained at his home. 'I don't know why the Union government is so keen to redefine what is sacred for the people of Kashmir,' Lone said on X. 'The sacrifices rendered on July 13 are sacred for all of us. Denigrating these sacrifices and stopping everyone from going to the martyrs graveyard, if anything elevates these sacrifices to a new high. Histories that are etched in blood don't vanish.' Not allowed to move out of home. Detained. I don't know why the union government is so keen to redefine what is sacred for the people of Kashmir. The sacrifices rendered on July 13 are sacred for all of us. Denigrating these sacrifices and stopping everyone from going to the… — Sajad Lone (@sajadlone) July 13, 2025 On Friday, Kashmir's chief cleric and Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had also claimed that he was detained at his home and not allowed to offer prayers at the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar. In a post on X, Farooq alleged that the action was taken due to fear that he would mention the Kashmir Martyrs' Day, observed on July 13, in his Friday sermon.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Leaders put under house arrest, Omar slams ‘blatant undemocratic move': ‘Martyrs' Day our Jallianwala Bagh'
Jammu and Kashmir Police have put under house detention several political leaders and legislators across the political divide to prevent them from visiting the Martyrs' cemetery in Srinagar on Martyrs' Day. July 13 is marked as Martyrs' Day as a homage to the 22 Kashmiris who fell to the bullets of the Dogra army while protesting the rule of Maharaja Hari Singh in 1931. Formerly a public holiday in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, it was scrapped by the Lieutenant Governor-led administration after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. While the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has called it a 'blatantly undemocratic move' saying July 13 is our Jallianwala Bagh, former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has said that dilli ki doori will true end when 'you accept our heroes as your own, just as Kashmir embraced yours'. 'In a blatantly undemocratic move, homes have been locked from the outside, police & central forces deployed as jailers & major bridges in Srinagar blocked,' Omar posted on X. 'All to stop people from visiting a historically important grave yard containing the graves of people who laid down their lives to give Kashmiris a voice & to empower them. I will never understand what the Law & Order government is so afraid of.' 13th July massacre is our Jallianwala Bagh. The people who laid down their lives did so against the British. Kashmir was being ruled under the British Paramountcy. What a shame that true heroes who fought against British rule in all its forms are today projected as villains only… — Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) July 13, 2025 The post went on to say: '13th July massacre is our Jallianwala Bagh. The people who laid down their lives did so against the British. Kashmir was being ruled under the British Paramountcy. What a shame that true heroes who fought against British rule in all its forms are today projected as villains only because they were Muslims. We may be denied the opportunity to visit their graves today but we will not forget their sacrifices.' Chief Minister Omar also posted from his official X handle saying the sacrifices of July 13 martyrs marked 'not just resistance but the rise of a collective conscience that continues to guide us to this day'. 'On 13th July, the chief minister solemnly remembers the martyrs of 1931, brave souls who stood unshaken in the face of tyranny and laid down their lives for justice, dignity, and democracy in Jammu and Kashmir. Their sacrifice marked not just resistance but the rise of a collective conscience that continues to guide us to this day. Their memory cannot be erased. Their truth cannot be silenced. This day stands as a timeless reminder that courage endures, and that freedom, once awakened, cannot be undone. We continue to honour their legacy not merely through words, but through the values we uphold and the justice we strive to deliver,' the post said. Though political parties had resolved that they would visit the cemetery on Sunday to pay tributes to the those killed in 1931, the J&K Police said in a post on X Saturday that the district administration has denied permission for the visits. Reacting to the detentions and deployment of police and paramilitary forces to prevent the commemorative functions, former chief minister Mufti said several of her party leaders who tried to visit the graveyard were detained and that 'it seems we are getting back into the oppressive times that our 13 July Martyrs fought against' 'The day you accept our heroes as your own just as Kashmiris have embraced yours, from Mahatma Gandhi to Bhagat Singh that day, as Prime Minister Modi once said, the dil ki doori (distance of hearts) will truly end,' she said as she posted photos of her locked home. 'When you lay siege to the Martyrs' Graveyard, lock people in their homes to prevent them from visiting Mazar-e-Shuhada, it speaks volumes. July 13th commemorates our martyrs, those who rose against tyranny, much like countless others across the country. They will always be our heroes.' The day you accept our heroes as your own just as Kashmiris have embraced yours, from Mahatma Gandhi to Bhagat Singh that day, as Prime Minister Modi once said, the 'dil ki doori' (distance of hearts) will truly end. When you lay siege to the Martyrs' Graveyard, lock people in… — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) July 13, 2025 National Conference chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq said that several of his party colleagues and legislators have been put under house detention since Saturday evening to prevent them from visiting the Martyrs' cemetery. 'Since last night, I, like many of my colleagues, including the party leadership at Gupkar, the Advisor to the Chief Minister, and a majority of sitting MLAs have been locked inside my home,' Sadiq said. 'This is not just unfortunate; it is a deliberate attempt to suppress remembrance and deny us the right to honour the martyrs of July 13. Such actions are not only unnecessary they are unjustified, deeply insensitive, and reveal a troubling disregard for history.' Peoples Conference president and former minister Sajad Lone also had a similar post. Not allowed to move out of home. Detained. I don't know why the union government is so keen to redefine what is sacred for the people of Kashmir. The sacrifices rendered on July 13 are sacred for all of us. Denigrating these sacrifices and stopping everyone from going to the… — Sajad Lone (@sajadlone) July 13, 2025 'Not allowed to move out of home. Detained,' Lone said. 'I don't know why the union government is so keen to redefine what is sacred for the people of Kashmir. The sacrifices rendered on July 13 are sacred for all of us. Denigrating these sacrifices and stopping everyone from going to the martyrs graveyard, if anything elevates these sacrifices to a new high. Histories that are etched in blood don't vanish.' Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. ... Read More
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Jallianwala Bagh: C Sankaran Nair called out a massacre - and shamed the British Empire
Long before India gained independence, one defiant voice inside the British Empire dared to call out a colonial massacre - and paid a price for Chettur Sankaran Nair, a lawyer, was one of the few Indians to be appointed to top government posts when the British ruled the country. In 1919, he resigned from the Viceroy's Council after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in the northern Indian city of Amritsar in Punjab, in which hundreds of civilians attending a public meeting were shot dead by British troops. On the 100th anniversary of the massacre, then UK Prime Minister Theresa May described the tragedy as a "shameful scar" on Britain's history in criticism of Punjab's then Lieutenant Governor, Michael O'Dwyer, led to a libel case against him, which helped spotlight the massacre and the actions of British a biography of Nair, KPS Menon, independent India's first foreign secretary, described him as "a very controversial figure of his time". Nair was known for his independent views and distaste for extremist politics, and spoke critically of colonial rule and even of Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian independence hero who is now regarded as the father of the nation. Menon, who married Nair's daughter Saraswathy, wrote: "Only [Nair] could have insulted the all powerful British Viceroy on his face and opposed Mahatma Gandhi openly."Nair was not a familiar name in India in recent decades, but earlier this year, a Bollywood film based on the court case, Kesari Chapter 2- starring superstar Akshay Kumar - helped bring attention to his life. Nair was born in 1857 into a wealthy family in what is now Palakkad district in Kerala state. He studied at the Presidency College in Madras, acquiring a bachelor's degree before studying law and beginning his career as an apprentice with a Madras High Court 1887, he joined the social reform movement in the Madras presidency. Throughout his career, he fought to reform Hindu laws of the time on marriage and women's rights and to abolish the caste some years, he was a delegate to the Indian National Congress and presided over its 1897 session in Amraoti (Amravati). In his address, he held the British-run government "morally responsible for the extreme poverty of the masses", saying the annual famines "claimed more victims and created more distress than under any civilised government anywhere else in the world". He was appointed public prosecutor in 1899 and writes in his autobiography about advising the government on seditious articles in newspapers, including those by his close friend G Subramania Iyer, the first editor of The Hindu newspaper. "On many occasions… I was able to persuade them not to take any step against him."He became a high court judge in 1908 and was knighted four years moved to Delhi in 1915 when he was appointed a member of the Viceroy's Council, only the third Indian to hold the position. He was a fierce proponent of India's right to govern itself and pushed for constitutional reforms during his time on the council. Through 1918 and 1919, his dissent and negotiations with Edwin Montagu, then secretary of state for India, helped expand provisions of the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms which laid out how India would gradually achieve wrote in his diary that he had been warned "that it was absolutely necessary to get him on my side, for Sankaran Nair wielded more influence than any other Indian". A pivotal moment in Nair's career as a statesman was the massacre in Jallianwala Bagh, when hundreds of unarmed Indians were shot dead in a public garden on the day of the Baisakhi festival. Official estimates said nearly 400 people were killed and more than 1,500 wounded by the soldiers, who fired under the orders of Brigadier General REH Dyer. Indian sources put the death toll closer to 1, writes in his 1922 book Gandhi and Anarchy about following the events in Punjab with increasing concern. The shooting at Jallianwala Bagh was part of a larger crackdown in the province, where martial law had been introduced - the region was cut off from the rest of the country and no newspapers were allowed into it."If to govern the country, it is necessary that innocent persons should be slaughtered at Jallianwala Bagh and that any Civilian Officer may, at any time, call in the military and the two together may butcher the people as at Jallianwala Bagh, the country is not worth living in," he wrote.A month later, he resigned from the council and left for Britain, where he hoped to rouse public opinion on the his memoir, Nair writes of speaking to the editor of The Westminster Gazette which soon published an article called the Amritsar Massacre. Other papers including The Times also followed suit."Worse things had happened under British rule, but I am glad I was able to obtain publicity for this one at least," Nair wrote. Nair's book Gandhi and Anarchy drew the ire of several Indian nationalists of the time after he criticised Gandhi's civil disobedience movement, calling it a "weapon to be used when constitutional methods have failed to achieve our purpose".But it was the few passages condemning Sir Michael O'Dwyer, the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, that became the basis for the libel suit against him in 1924. Nair accused O'Dwyer of terrorism, holding him responsible for the atrocities committed by the civil government before the imposition of martial law. A five-week trial in the Court of King's Bench in London ruled 11:1 in favour of O'Dwyer, awarding damages of £500 and £7,000 in costs to him.O'Dwyer offered to forgo this for an apology but Nair refused and paid of the depositions in the hearing were published daily in The Times. Nair's family says despite losing, the case achieved his purpose of having the atrocities brought to public attention. Nair's great-grandson Raghu Palat, who co-wrote the book The Case That Shook the Empire, with his wife Pushpa, says the case helped spark "an uproar for the freedom movement".It also showed that "there was no point in having a dominion status under the empire when the British cannot be expected to deal with their subjects fairly", adds Gandhi referred to the case several times, writing once that Nair had showed pluck in fighting without hope of victory, historian PC Roy Chaudhury later pointed losing the case, Nair continued with his career in India. He was chairman of the Indian Committee of the Simon Commission, which reviewed the working of constitutional reforms in India in died in 1934 at the age of his career, Menon notes, Nair "bent all his thoughts and energies on the emancipation of his country from the bondage of foreign domination and native custom. In this task, he achieved as much success as any man, wedded to constitutional methods".
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Akshay Kumar's Kesari 2 earns over Rs 15 Crore in North America
Kesari 2, starring Akshay Kumar, R. Madhavan, and Ananya Panday, has achieved significant box office success, earning USD 1.79 million in North America and crossing Rs 80 crore in India. The film, based on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, has resonated with audiences. Akshay Kumar's fans are now anticipating his next release, Housefull 5. Akshay Kumar , R. Madhavan , and Ananya Panday 's Kesari 2 based on the life of Sir C Sankaran Nair is proving to be a long-distance runner at the box office. Directed by Karan Singh Tyagi , the courtroom drama — based on Raghu and Pushpa Palat's acclaimed book The Case That Shook the Empire — has continued to attract audiences even 21 days after its release. The film has now amassed an impressive USD 1.79 million (Rs 15.33 crore) from the North American market alone in 20 days , reaffirming Akshay Kumar's solid fanbase and how the story about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre has connected with the masses. Operation Sindoor IPL suspended indefinitely amid soaring tensions between India and Pakistan Pakistan appeals for loans citing 'heavy losses', later says X account hacked Can Pakistan afford a war with India? Here's a reality check Back home, Kesari 2 has been holding its ground steadily. In India, the film's total collection has crossed the Rs 80 crore mark, standing at Rs 83.15 crore after three weeks in theatres. Bringing to life a landmark legal battle during the British Raj that left a lasting mark on Indian history, Kesari 2 has earned praise for its gripping narrative and compelling performances. Akshay Kumar delivers a powerful portrayal of the lead protagonist, while R. Madhavan and Ananya Panday have impressed with their nuanced performances in crucial supporting roles. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Invest $200 in Amazon without buying stocks to earn a second salary Marketsall Sign Up Undo As Kesari 2 continues its respectable run, Akshay Kumar fans are now gearing up for his next release, Housefull 5 . Directed by Dostana fame Tarun Mansukhani, the fifth installment in the popular comedy franchise promises to be a laughter-packed entertainer, reuniting Akshay with his old co-stars Riteish Deshmukh , Abhishek Bachchan , and Fardeen Khan . Kesari 2 has now gone on to become the third biggest hit of Akshay's career since the pandemic, biggest being Sooryavanshi which earned Rs 195.55 crore and Sky Force being second with Rs 112.75 crore. His other big films have been Ram Setu with Rs 74.7 crore collection, Samrat Prithviraj with 68.25 crore and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan with Rs 65.96 crore.
