89th Kashmir Martyrs' Day to be observed on July 13

89th Kashmir Martyrs' Day to be observed on July 13

MUZAFFARABAD (Dunya News) – Kashmir Martyrs’ Day has been commemorated annually on July 13 to mark the incident of July 13, 1931, when 22 Kashmiris were martyred in their attempts to complete the call for prayer outside the Srinagar Central jail, by soldiers of Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh. The people rose against Dogra rule and protested against the prosecution of sympathizer of Kashmir struggle, Abdul Qadeer Khan Ghazi. It was the beginning of Kashmir freedom struggle which has different phases including political struggle as well as civilian protests Kashmiris living on both sides of the Line of Control as well as rest of the world observe the Kashmir Martyrs Day with a pledge to continue their struggle for achievement of their birthright right to self-determination and freedom of Kashmir from the Indian yoke. After abrogation of the article 370 BJP dropped Kashmir Martyrs’ Day from its list of public holidays for 2020, while ironically October 26 was added to be observed as ‘Accession Day’ which was in fact the Day of Occupation of the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir IOJ&K.

Saffron Hindus in India are asking the Modi government to declare September 23 as a gazette holiday on birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh, the killer of Kashmiri Muslims.

The deplorable trend is aimed at derogating and dismissing the long struggle of the Kashmiris for freedom that has withstood decades of suppression and has grown stronger consistently. Though the IOJ&K has been brutalised for years, but since the lockdown in August 5, 2019 Indian security forces have become even more inhumane and brutal for the 8 million caged Kashmiris. Amid the increased militarization (900,000 Indian occupation forces), dehumanization of Kashmiris after annexation of IOJ&K, the frustration, anger and resentment masses in IOJ&K is rising. Since the Indian National Congress has been replaced by the saffronised BJP government, the latter’s religious-nationalism has tried make an internationally dangerous conflict a national political issue and change the complexion of conflict by drastic and illegal actions on August 5, 2019 that preclude peaceful and just resolution. Under BJP’s fascist regime, a comprehensive enslavement plan, encapsulating sweeping administrative changes aimed at altering the demographic structure of IOJ&K and stripping its people of their rights was devised and enforced brutally.

The BJP government has attempted to change the demography of IOJ&K through ‘constitutional terrorism’ followed by flooding of the Muslim majority region with Hindus to palestinise Kashmir. Under the new Domicile law, India has issued domicile certificates to 32000 outsiders since May 11. It would facilitate non-Kashmiris to settle in the state to rob it of its Muslim identity. The transgressions by India in IOJ&K constitute blatant violation of the UNSC resolutions on Kashmir, bilateral agreements between India and Pakistan, 4th Geneva Convention.

Moreover, recently, Modi - PM of a nation with 172 million Muslims did not mention the upcoming Eid ul Azha, in his address to the nation while rattling off the names of all upcoming festivals. This speaks of the deep-rooted islamophobia in Indian leadership. India’s atrocities in IOJ&K and the mainland India reflect systematic cleansing of Muslims to achieve a long cherished objective of RSS to establish a ‘Brahminical State’ purported by Sadhvi Saraswati that India would be ‘Hindu Rashtra’ by 2023. New Delhi’s heavy handedness and use of torture and violence to quell the freedom movement of the Kashmiris have badly failed. Moreover, the unprecedented internationalization of Kashmir and loss of face has further frustrated India.

This has induced many reckless actions including the frequent unprovoked violations of the LoC to divert public attention. The despicable move to exclude the historic day of Kashmiris martyrs from the gazette by mad Modi speaks of his intrinsic fear of disdain for the freedom fighters. But the Kashmiri martyrs are immortal and they are writing a new history of human resilience with their blood that cannot be erased by such moves. It is high time that the world realizes why over 100,000 Kashmiris martyrs sacrificed their lives at the hands of occupation forces.The Kashmiris’ spirits cannot be dampened through repressive tactics including arbitrary detentions, torture, extra-judicial killings by Indian brute forces. Kashmiris are determined and destined to achieve freedom from the oppressor. India which is their undeniable destiny. Pakistan, as ever, is steadfastly extending moral, political and diplomatic support to their cause. The July 13 shall be commemorated as Kashmir Martyrs Day in the length and breadth of Pakistan.