Jammu and Kashmir Leaders Barred from Paying Tribute to 1931 Martyrs
On Monday, July 13, 2026, authorities in Srinagar barricaded a graveyard where 22 civilians killed during the 1931 uprising against Dogra rule are buried. Leaders from major Jammu and Kashmir political parties were prevented from visiting the site, drawing criticism from top politicians.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated that the security measures undermined claims of normalcy in the region. He pointed to the closure of the national highway for the Amarnath yatra as further evidence of an uncertain security situation.
Senior National Conference leader Sakina Itoo attempted to reach the graveyard, known as Mazar-e-Shuhada at the Naqshband Sahib Shrine, early in the morning while wearing a burqa to bypass security. She was turned away due to heavy deployment and barbed-wire barricading. 'Physical barriers cannot prevent us from honouring the supreme sacrifices of our martyrs,' she said.
Security forces had cordoned off parts of Srinagar's old city since Sunday, with extra personnel deployed to restrict movement. Abdullah criticised the Lieutenant Governor's administration for the stringent measures, suggesting that fewer than 150 people would have gathered at the graveyard.
Without naming anyone, Abdullah remarked that those who imposed the restrictions are 'guests and will go away', asserting that one day tributes would be paid at the graves. He also emphasised that the 1931 uprising was a fight against British paramountcy, monarchy, and for democracy, not a religious movement.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party alleged that permission to visit the graveyard was denied and that many leaders were placed under house arrest. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti paid floral tributes at the party headquarters, calling the martyrs 'heroes like Bhagat Singh, Ashfaqullah Khan, and Gandhi ji'. She accused the BJP of turning the martyrs into a Hindu-Muslim issue.
Kashmir's chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, claimed to have been placed under house arrest and expressed pain over the restrictions around Mazar-e-Shuhada and Jama Masjid Srinagar.
The Centre ended Jammu and Kashmir's special status in 2019, and the Lieutenant Governor later dropped July 13 as an official holiday. The day remains a significant commemorative occasion for local parties.
