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| 76 years later, the July 13, 1931 paradox still remains | | Battle for democracy being painted in separatist colours as mainstreamers play cautiously | | NIRBHAY JAMMUAL
Jammu, July 12
What had exactly happened on July 13, 1931 still continues to be mired in the controversies of histories. As Jammu remains silent on the whole gamut of martyrs day, a paradox still haunts the Kashmir’s political spectrum on proper description of the incident which happened 76 years back.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor SK Sinha and Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad have issued their respective statements for the martyrs. Both have paid homage to those who laid down their lives for democracy in 1931.
Sinha and Azad are not alone in remembering the martyrs. Leaders ranging from Farooq Abdullah to Mufti Mohammad Sayeed from the mainstream camp and from Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to Syed Ali Shah Geelani from the separatist camp are outdoing each other in eulogising the martyrs and their sacrifices.
Interestingly, the tones, tenors, descriptions and understandings of all these statements are quite different from each other. In his message, the Chief Minister today said, “July 13, 1931 was a defining moment in the history of the State, ushering the people in an atmosphere of freedom 16 years later”.
While Governor Sinha and Chief Azad as also the leaders from the mainstream camp have described the martyrs day an even which marked the beginning of a struggle for democracy. But those from the separatist camps are describing the same incident as beginning of the struggle for independence from India.
Even though politicians jump in outdo each other on description of this incident, some historian might put the record straight that Jammu and Kashmir was never a part of British India in 1931. Therefore the question of launching a struggle to liberate Jammu and Kashmir from India does not arise at all. This is a blatant lie on the face of history.
It was evidently and overwhelmingly seen today that as Jammu and Kashmir readies to observe 76th martyrs day, the mainstream political parties are projecting the day in 1931 as laying the ground for democracy, but separatists see it as sowing the seeds of Kashmir's struggle for freedom from India.
Both sides of the proverbial coin in this case with separate functions organised every year by both groupings to remember the day when the autocratic Dogra regime ordered indiscriminate firing against thousands of peaceful demonstrators in Srinagar demanding democracy in the then princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
This day has ever since been assuming significance that July 31 every year is declared as a State Holiday. The day enjoys official sanctity to the extent that the Chief Minister of State is always traditional the first person to lay wreaths at the martyrs graveyards in Srinagar. However, over the past few years, the martyr’s day has overwhelmingly been overtaken by the separatists even though the official functions are still maintained.
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