Srinagar: On Saturday, several political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, including PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone, National Conference’s Nasir Aslam Wani, and NC’s youth wing president Salman Sagar, claimed they were placed under house arrest to prevent them from visiting the martyrs graveyard and paying homage to the 22 Kashmiri people killed by a Dogra ruler’s army in 1931.
No official confirmation regarding these claims has been issued by authorities, as reported by PTI.
Mufti, the former Chief Minister, alleged that she was confined to her residence in Khimber on this significant day. She expressed frustration over being barred from visiting Mazar e Shuhada, which she described as a symbol of Kashmir’s resistance against oppression.
“The sacrifices of our martyrs are a testament to the indomitable spirit of Kashmiris,” Mufti stated on X platform, condemning the perceived criminalisation of remembering the martyrs of the 1931 protests and linking it to the events of August 5, 2019.
Similarly, other politicians such as Sajad Lone of the People’s Conference and Nasir Aslam Wani of the National Conference reported being under house arrest. They criticised the authorities for restricting their movements on a day that holds deep historical and emotional significance for Kashmiris.
This year marked a departure from the past, as the traditional public holiday commemorating Martyrs’ Day was not observed following its removal from the list of gazetted holidays in 2020 after the abrogation of Article 370.
The news agency report further added that restrictions on public gatherings were reportedly enforced in the Naqshbandh area of Nowhatta.
