Srinagar, July 13(KNS): Stating that the Union  government has categorically "disowned" the 1931 martyrs, former Law Minister Syed Basharat Bukhari thursday said, that it was imperative for all those  who have been visiting the martyr's graveyard -for paying tributes- to identify the reasons for which these martyrs had laid down their lives.

In a statement, Bukhari wondered, " We all have been visiting these graves since 1931 but now everybody is confused particularly post Aug 5th 2019 how to honour them when even the holiday of 13th July has been dropped from the Callender "

Pertinently July 13th was being observed as a state holiday every year prior to abrogation of article 370 to honour the Martyrs of 1931 and top government diginitres including Chief Ministers would visit the graveyard in downtown srinagar to pay tributes. The practice has been stopped post 370 and holiday struck off from the Callender.



" We had a public holiday in the state to observe Martyrs day on 13th July every year . But the central govt  has not only dropped it from the calendar now but instead  announced a holiday to observe  the anniversary of the Maharaja Hari Singh, the leader  they had stood against while sacrificing their lives. This indicates in categorical terms that Union government disowns  all those who fought against Maharaja on July 13, 1931" Said Mr. Bukhari , questioned as " who will now tell people what the martyrs of 1931 stood for, because even the practice of visiting the graves was also over now."
The former minister added, " When the incumbent Govt disowns which the previous ones felt so important and inalienable from the history of J&K, it is but natural for the public to know who stands where, and that would be a real tribute to the souls of  those martyrs ?" Said Basharat Bukhari in the statement.(KNS).