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| A Fake Martyrs Day in the history of J&K-"13TH July'' | | | Ravinder Jalali
The observance of 13Th July
as a martyr's day by the J&K govt. is actually a Fake Martyrs day in the history of J&K. It was on this day in 1931 when fanatics' and Islamists under the garb and disguise of Afghan Muslim butler of British Army Officer, Abdul Qadir Khan made inflammatory speech aided and abetted by the local leadership looted the Hindu community. This day is being observed by the Kashmiri Pandit community as a Black Day in commemoration of the persecution of Hindu community on that fateful day in Kashmir in 1931. Observing 13th July, as the so-called Martyrs' Day by the State Govt., amounts to rubbing salt on the wounds of the minority Hindu community of Kashmir. It is unfortunate that the day, when the Kashmiri Hindu Community were subjected to mass persecution and faced revolt from communal forces , has been designated as the martyrs' day by the Muslim political class of Valley. On this day under a pre-planned action programme the people under the supervision and leadership of communal forces looted Hindu properties and houses in different parts of Srinagar.
Abdul Qadeer Khan was a fundamentalist and radical, a follower of Islamic ideologue Maulana Jamaluddin Afghani, who delivered an inflammatory speech at Khanqa-i-Maula Shrine, asking people to revolt against the Dogra Maharaja. On that day, the Youngmen Muslim Association had convened a public meeting at Khanqa-i-Maula. Notably, Sheikh Mohd. Abdullah and Mirwaiz Moulvi Yusuf Shah were members of that association besides other Muslim leaders. At the conclusion of the meeting, Abdul Qadeer Khan rose up and delivered an inflammatory and hatred speech in support of Islam and against non-Muslims and the King. He said that the honour, respect and reverence of the Holy Quran are dearer to the Muslims than earthly kingdoms. They can never tolerate any interference in their religion or defilement of their Holy Book.
For his speech Abdul Qadeer Khan Ghazi was arrested on the 25 June 1931. Large number of people were present to witness his trial.
The Muslims of the State were sympathetic towards the Ghazi and thousand of the people would assemble in the Court to know the fate of the prisoner.
On the 13th of July 1931, the trial of Abdul Qadeer Khan Ghazi was held in the Srinagar Jail premises. The people attacked jail premises with the intention of freeing the culprit Abdul Qadir Ghazi. The magistrate ordered policemen to fire three rounds in air but the people shouted Allaha-o-Akbar and Islam Zindabad. Many were injured in this firing and the police arrested many protesters. In all 22 persons had died due to firing. The loot, murder and arson launched against the Kashmiri Hindus reflected the perennial religious hatred the Muslims have been harbouring against the Hindus of Kashmir.
It will not be out of place to mention that the first memorandum submitted to Maharaja Hari Singh by the Muslims of Kashmir sought a ban on Indian National Congress and the activities of the Kashmiri Hindus fraternising with the organisation. The Reading Room Party led by Sheikh Abdullah was an abettor of the vicious propaganda unleashed against the Hindus, who had been the main target of the Muslim politics. The life size posters instigating the Muslims to protest and revolt proved a catalyst for the communal frenzy engulfing the Kashmiri Pandits. The goons had their heyday everywhere especially in Srinagar indulging in loot, murder and arson. The British officers mostly owing allegiance to the British network of intelligence in complicity and connivance with the communal forces in the Valley were guilty of loot, murder and arson of the Kashmiri Hindus.
The 13th July, 1931 communal orgy was preceded by an outrageous act of kidnapping, wrongfully confining and murdering a Kashmiri Hindu girl, Durgi by name. It sent shock waves in the miniscule minority of the Hindus reminding them of the same type of persecution and torture that they were subjected to throughout the Muslim rule. What was worst that the state police lathi-charged the funeral procession of one thousand Hindus accompanying the dead body of the victim to the cremation ground for last rites. The government never acted as all its operational capacities were paralysed by the interference of the Britishers in the state affairs.
With a view to achieve their political ends the Britishers forced and pressurised the Maharaja to constitute a Grievances Commission for a probe into the complaints of the people of Kashmir. The Commission was chaired by B.J. Glancy, who was directly linked with the British Intelligence Department. The Hindu members on the Commission from Jammu resigned when the Muslim members from J&K demanded a change in the Hindu Personal Law facilitating the fresh converts to Islam to own their hereditary properties even after conversion. It did not take up for consideration the vital issue of settling the age-long dispute over Kali Temple, which was forcibly occupied and demolished for erection of the Mir Ali Hamadani Mosque. The Hindu demand for the construction of a shed at the point of worship on the river ghat only to shelter them from inclement weather was cruelly rejected. There were numerous Muslim agencies operating for fresh converts to Islam. They worked under a well-formulated design and were financially supported by inside and outside agencies. The demand underpinned the motives of arming the Muslims for purposes of launching an armed crusade against the fragile minority of Hindus in Kashmir.
The one-sided and biased recommendations of the Glancy Commission were prominently marked by an appeasement of the Muslim majority of Kashmir. The legitimate rights and interests of the Kashmiri Hindus were ruthlessly sacrificed and trampled upon. Instead of conceding their legitimate demands, the government let loose a reign of repression against the Hindus. They were lathi-charged, baton charged, arrested and imprisoned and hurt with all sorts of repressive and coercive measures. Toeing the old strategy of grabbing the Hindu places of worship, the Muslims whipped up mass frenzy and let loose their brute force to unlawful occupy two places of Hindu worship, one at Sahyar and the other at Narparistan in Srinagar. The Narparistan place of worship known as Narishwari Temple was demolished and a grave installed at its sanctum sanctorum. It was done in total violation of civilised canons guiding relations between various communities in a pluralistic society.
The factors motivating Muslims to loot and plunder Hindus have been more religious than economic. Almost simultaneously with the happenings at Srinagar, there was an uprising at a place named Vicharnag, some 5 kms away. Untold atrocities were committed there; men owning lakhs were reduced to destitute and women were subjected to the worst possible cruelties and the most indecent assaults. A military force was despatched to the place, but by the time the havoc had been completed. Some lost their lives and many suffered physical injuries. Stray assaults continued till long after. |
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