Officially first time in history no martyr’s day observed in Kashmir, Martyr Day’s historical perspective

Media reported it was the first time since the Partition that no holiday and official functions were held to commemorate the Kashmir Martyrs’ Day on July 13, today. Following the revocation of Article 370 on August 5, last year, India had issued a list of gazette holidays for the occupied territory, omitting July 13 from the list. “In December last year, the list of gazetted holidays had no mention of martyrs’ day on July 13. Therefore, the question doesn’t arise of holding any official function or declaring a holiday on…

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July 13, a day of Ironies and Sacrifice

Barring the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Jammu-based National Panthers Party, the entire spectrum of political ideologies in Jammu and Kashmir, including separatists observe July 13 as Martyr’s Day. Though J&K Chief Ministers make it a point to attend the function, Governor N N Vohra will skip it. On this day in 1931, twenty two common Kashmiris were killed in firing by the forces of Dogra ruler Hari Singh outside the central jail in Srinagar. The day, observed as a government holiday in J&K, marked a turning point in the…

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