‘They live in our hearts’: Mirwaiz remembers Martyrs of 1931 amid restrictions

Srinagar: On the anniversary of the July 13, 1931 killings, Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq paid tribute to the martyrs, calling their sacrifices the foundation of Kashmir’s struggle for justice and dignity.

Quoting the Quranic verse, “Don’t call them dead, they are alive, but you do not perceive it” (Quran 2:154), Mirwaiz said the martyrs of 1931 led the resistance against tyranny and inspired generations to fight for their rights and aspirations.

“Kashmir bears witness to the painful saga of the sacrifices made by its sons and daughters against oppression. The Martyrs of July 13, 1931, led this quest by standing up to the tyranny of the rulers of the day, laying down their lives,” he posted on X.

He said that while leaders may be jailed, placed under house arrest, or threatened, and graveyards of martyrs may be sealed, “they live in our hearts and in our memory and will continue to, generation after generation.”

Authorities had reportedly sealed the historic Martyrs’ Graveyard at Khawaja Bazaar, Srinagar, as part of security measures, restricting public access on the day.

July 13 is observed by many in Kashmir as Martyrs’ Day to commemorate the killing of 22 protesters by Dogra soldiers in 1931 outside Srinagar Central Jail. The slain had gathered to protest the autocratic rule of the Dogra monarchy.