Srinagar, 13 July (H.S.): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday slammed the Lt Governor administration for blocking access to the Martyrs' Graveyard in the old city, saying those who are stopping people from paying homage are guests for few days, but the martyrs are immortal.

Those who did not allow us to go to the Martyrs' Graveyard today are guests for a few days. They will not be here tomorrow. But the graves of martyrs, they were here, they are here, and they will remain here forever, Abdullah told reporters at the National Conference (NC) headquarters here.

Senior NC leaders including party president Farooq Abdullah assembled at the party headquarters to pay homage to the martyrs of July 13, 1931.

The chief minister said people will visit the martyrs' graveyard again. If not today, then tomorrow, we will go there again, we will lay flowers there, and offer Fatiha (prayer) for the martyrs.

On July 13, 1931, 22 people were gunned down by the Dogra army outside Srinagar's central jail.

In 2020, the L-G administration dropped the day from the list of gazetted holidays.

Abdullah said these people were martyred while fighting for democracy in the face of autocratic rule.

I wish those who took the decision of closing the martyrs' graveyard had read the history of Jammu and Kashmir; they would have understood that with this decision, they have ignored the sacrifices of all those who laid down their lives fighting against British rule.

Kashmir, at that time, was a princely state under British paramountcy. The maharaja had ceded to British supremacy, he said.

In colonial India, paramountcy was a doctrine which claimed that authority of the British Crown was supreme over all Indian princely states. Under this policy, the British assumed absolute control over the defense, external affairs, and communications of princely states.

Abdullah said proof that the Maharaja yielded to the British lies in the two Residency roads in Srinagar and Jammu.

Only hundred metres from here, what is today an emporium, used to be the (British) resident's house. What is today the official residence of the chief minister in Jammu, used to be the Residency building. The two residency roads in Jammu and Srinagar were named so as they led to the offices of the British Resident, he said.

The chief minister said the matryrs' sacrifices today are being weighed on the narrow scale of religion. Their martyrdom is being ignored only because they were Muslims, and the Maharaja was not. But, their fight was not about religion. It was about principles. It was a fight for democracy. And most of all, it was a fight for freedom from the British.

On being denied access to the Martyrs' Graveyard, Abdullah said it calls into question the credibility of those who claim there is normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.

We were not discredited by this. It discredits the people who take this decision. It actually calls into question all the claims that have been made about normalcy. On one hand we are told that everything is normal, but, when we see the decisions taken, nothing appears to normal, he said.

Abdullah said he does not remember a time when the national highway had to be shut for traffic to allow safe passage for Amarnath pilgrims. But this year the highway is closed so that yatris can travel safely. What does that tell you about the security situation?

On his party's plans to hold protests at Jantar Mantar, Abdullah said they are awaiting a response to their application for permission from Delhi Police.State & Local Government

We have been told that the police is obliged in Delhi to give permission five days ahead, usually not less than five days. We have been told that within that time-frame, they will give us a response. We are waiting for that.

The five day notice, I believe means some time by tomorrow or Wednesday morning, we should hear from Delhi Police. We are following it up, he added.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar