SRINAGAR: The Indian government on Sunday placed separatist leaders Shabir Shah, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest ahead of their joint anti-India rally scheduled to be held on Martyrs’ Day, today.
Three major separatist factions of Kashmir – Hurriyat (M), Hurriyat (G) and JKLF – had earlier decided to present a united face on Martyrs’ Day by holding a rally together.
The Background
Martyrs’ Day Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and across the world observe “Kashmir Martyrs’ Day” on July 13, every year.
The day is commemorated in memory of the 21 Kashmiris who were shot dead, one after the other, outside the Srinagar Central Jail by the troops of Dogra Maharaja, where they had gathered to witness the court proceedings against one, Abdul Qadeer, who was being tried for his alleged “crime” of instigating Kashmiri people to defy Dogra rule.
The genesis of the uprising lies in the incident on 19th April 1931, when the Dogra DIG Police, Chowdhry Ram Chand stopped Imam Munshi Muhammad Ishaq from rendering the Eid Khutba (Sermon) in the Municipal Park of Jammu. The incident sparked off widespread protest demonstrations in Jammu city. Ban on Eid Sermon in Jammu was followed by desecration of the Holy Quran at the hands of Dogra troops, which further aggravated the situation throughout the State.
In Srinagar, people gathered in Jamia Masjid Srinagar to denounce the act of desecration and demanded severe punishment for the culprits. Inspired by the fiery speeches of Kashmiri leaders, a young Kashmiri Abdul Qadeer rose up and pointing his finger towards the Maharaja’s palace, he raised full-throated slogans “destroy its every brick”.
He was immediately arrested on the charges of sedition. Later, he was to be tried in the court but due to possible public reaction, the venue of the trial was shifted to Srinagar Central Jail.
On 12th July, violent public demonstrations were held throughout the city against the shifting of the court to the Central Jail, Srinagar. On 13th July 1931, thousands of people thronged the central jail Srinagar to witness the trial of Abdul Qadeer.
In the afternoon, one of the youth stood up and started reciting “Azan’ for Zuhar prayer. He was martyred by Dogra soldiers. Another youth stood up to continue the “Azan” but he too was shot dead.
The process continued and one after the other, young men stood up to carry on the recitation of “Azan” and kept being martyred. In the process of completing the ‘Azan’, 21 youth embraced shahadat in quick succession.This incident of brutal slaughter of the Kashmiri youth is a black chapter in the history of Dogra regime.
