SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) has alleged that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was physically prevented and manhandled by security officials on Monday while attempting to offer prayers at the historic Mazar-e-Shuhada graveyard in Srinagar, drawing sharp condemnation from the party and calls for accountability.
This is the physical grappling I was subjected to but I am made of sterner stuff & was not to be stopped. I was doing nothing unlawful or illegal. In fact these “protectors of the law” need to explain under what law they were trying to stop us from offering Fatiha pic.twitter.com/8Fj1BKNixQ
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) July 14, 2025
Describing the incident as “shocking” and “unjustified,” JKNC Provincial President Rattan Lal Gupta said the elected Chief Minister was forced to scale the graveyard’s boundary wall after being stopped by security personnel for two consecutive days. The graveyard is a symbolic site where the martyrs of July 13, 1931, are commemorated annually—a day observed as Martyrs’ Day in Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is disgraceful that the Chief Minister of the Union Territory, who holds a constitutional mandate, was obstructed and physically mishandled while attempting to offer prayers and pay respects to the martyrs,” Gupta said in a strongly worded press statement. “This is not merely an affront to one individual but an alarming sign of authoritarian overreach.”
Gupta alleged that the incident follows a pattern of repression, pointing out that on July 13, the Chief Minister and other senior party leaders were reportedly placed under house arrest, effectively barring them from participating in official and ceremonial events. “Such actions clearly indicate a deliberate attempt by the unelected administration to suppress democratic voices and erase the memory of our historic struggles,” he said.
The alleged manhandling has triggered political outcry, with the National Conference terming the episode a “direct assault on democracy.” Gupta warned that provocative actions by security agencies could have serious ramifications for peace and public sentiment in the sensitive region.
Calling on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to take immediate notice of the incident, the NC leader demanded swift disciplinary action against the officers involved. “This cannot be allowed to go unchecked. If elected leaders are treated with such contempt, what message does it send to the people of Jammu and Kashmir?” he asked.
“The LG administration must decide whether it upholds the Constitution or aligns itself with undemocratic methods of silencing elected representatives,” Gupta added, asserting that the National Conference will not remain silent and will continue to protest what it sees as unconstitutional practices undermining democratic governance in the Union Territory.
