Irfan A Mir

Srinagar, July 13 (KNS): Jammu Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) senior leader and former minister Ghulam Hassan Mir on Monday said that barring the visit of mainstream political parties to Martyr’s graveyard on July 13, is “unfortunate” and “anti-democratic” outlook of present dispensation of J&K.
Talking exclusively to Kashmir News Service (KNS), Mir said that authorities didn’t permit us to visit graveyard at Naqshband Saheb. “We had asked for a permission but the administration didn’t allow us to visit graves of martyrs who laid their lives for upholding the ethos of democracy and fought against injustice”, Mir said.
Mir termed the move “anti-democratic”, and said this is first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir that wishes of majority people were ignored. “We were visiting there since decades but it is for the first time in history mainstream politicians have been barred which is unfortunate and an act against the philosophy of democracy”, JKAP leader told KNS.
He further said that there is a possibility of dissent but that doesn’t mean you will prevent people from attending July 13, which is being considered as sacred one among majority. “If there is a dissent between political parties, that doesn’t give you mandate to go against the wishes of majority”, he said, and added, “In wake of Covid-19 pandemic, authorities should have been allowed visitors into little chunks so that the sanctity of Martyr’s would have been maintained”.
Notably on December 2019, Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu led administration in J&K dropped July 13, Martyr’s Day from public holidays and included Accession Day October 26 in the list. Marty’s Day was observed in J&K on July 13 every year in remembrance of people killed in firing by army of Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh outside Central Jail Srinagar in 1931. (KNS)