SRINAGAR: Amid growing political focus on the 1931 martyrs, the National Conference on Thursday said the holiday on July 13 will be reinstated as soon as possible.
After the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the Jammu and Kashmir administration removed ‘Martyrs’ Day’ from the official holiday list. Several parties, including the NC, have since demanded its restoration.
NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said the party remains committed to honouring the July 13 martyrs. “We have promised to bring back the holiday and will do so at the earliest,” he told reporters at a party event.
Sadiq said the removal of the holiday reflected the wider erosion of JK’s political identity and stressed that restoration of statehood was essential to undo such changes.
He confirmed that the party had sought permission from the District Magistrate Srinagar to offer tributes at Naqshband Sahib. “We only wish to offer Fatiha. There should be no objection,” he said. “If the ruling party seeks to honour those who are in the hearts of people, where is the law and order concern?”
Sadiq also criticised the Raj Bhawan for opposing observances linked to the 1931 martyrs. “It is unfortunate that remembering martyrs causes discomfort to them,” he said.
The NC leader also targeted PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari, accusing them of hypocrisy. “When Mehbooba Mufti was CM, no BJP minister from her cabinet visited the martyrs’ graveyard. They didn’t even carry the state flag on their vehicles,” he said. “Now they talk of Martyrs’ Day? It was their actions that led to 2019. People have rejected this politics.”
