The Martyrs’ Day Controversy in Jammu & Kashmir: History, Political Turmoil & Identity Clash
By: Javid Amin | Srinagar | 14 July 2025
Why Martyrs’ Day Matters Today
Every year on 13 July, Kashmiris mark Martyrs’ Day, remembering the 1931 killings of 22 protesters by Dogra rulers. After decades as an official holiday, the day has become a political battleground—revealing how history and identity intertwine with power. Especially after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the narrative shifted dramatically. New historical signals emerged, old commemorations were brown‑stored, and the very essence of memory became a site of contest.
Here, we explore how a once routine remembrance has exploded into a symbol-laden row—unfolding across political actors, street memory, and state power.
The 1931 Uprising: Roots of Martyrs’ Day
Who Were the 22 Martyrs?
On 13 July 1931, thousands gathered outside Srinagar Central Jail during the trial of Abdul Qadeer Khan, a cook turned anti-Dogra protester. As the crowd assembled, Dogra-regime forces opened fire, killing 22 Kashmiri Muslims. Their burial at the shrine now known as Martyrs’ Graveyard (Naqshband Sahib) marked a turning point in Kashmir’s political awakening—seen as the beginning of collective resistance.
A Symbolic Turning Point
This carnage wasn’t just an incident—it marked the first organized assertion of rights, identity, and political voice in Kashmir. Known by many as the region’s “Jallianwala Bagh moment”, it shaped decades of regional identity .
From Official Holiday to Erasure
Official Recognition
Until August 2019, July 13 was a gazetted holiday in J&K. Government ceremonies included state leaders paying tributes at the graveyard—bridging regional unity in remembrance.
Holiday Stripped Post‑2019
After Article 370’s abrogation, the Lt Governor’s office removed the holiday. In December 2019, they replaced it with September 23—the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh—signaling a deliberate shift in the narrative.
Fallout of 5 August 2019 & Article 370 Abrogation
The repeal of Article 370 not only changed constitutional status—it redrew cultural calendars. It brought J&K into full federal law, enabling changes to holidays, land rights, and identity narratives. Days like Martyrs’ Day were deemed anachronistic to the new integrated identity. This was in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling validating abrogation .
The 2025 Confrontation: Clampdown & Political Lockdown
2025 Clampdown
On 13 July 2025, authorities once again imposed restrictions: the graveyard and roads were sealed. Leaders like Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, and others were placed under house arrest. NC described it as a “shame” and called it undemocratic .
Denial of Democratic Rights
Despite the NC government in power, the LG administration blocked official visits under the security pretext. Omar Abdullah sharply criticized it as curbing “people’s voice”.
Competing Narratives: Regional vs National vs Separatist
-
Regional Parties (NC, PDP, Apni, People’s Conference): see July 13 as core to Kashmiri democratic identity—they demand restoration of holiday and official recognition.
-
BJP: rejects the concept, labeling the martyrs as “rioters,” claiming it communalizes history. They pivot on celebrating Maharaja Hari Singh instead.
-
Separatists (Hurriyat): honor the day as anti-colonial resistance, tapping into its revolutionary roots .
Voices from Regional Parties
National Conference (NC)
-
Omar Abdullah: called the mass arrest “blatantly undemocratic,” compared July 13 events to Jallianwala Bagh.
-
Farooq Abdullah & party: formally sought permission to hold ceremonies, emphasize its historic importance.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
-
Mehbooba Mufti: urged India to honour these martyrs as part of national memory—just as Gandhi is revered. She criticized the denial as erasing “Kashmir’s heroes.”
Apni Party & People’s Conference
-
Altaf Bukhari: demanded holiday restoration and dignity for regional identity .
BJP & Cultural Reframing
BJP defends this historical reframing:
-
Calls the July 13 martyrs “rebels,” accusing regional parties of communal agenda .
-
Prefers celebration of Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary (added 2022), aligning Kashmir’s history with mainstream national narrative.
Hurriyat & Separatist Reflections
Although politically sidelined, Hurriyat Conference and voices like Mirwaiz Umar Farooq uphold the day’s martyrdom:
-
Posters calling for strikes and defiance appeared around Srinagar before July 13.
-
Mirwaiz addressed the day as “etched in collective memory,” despite official bans .
Legal & Democratic Implications
-
Right to Assemble: The clampdown raises constitutional questions about the freedom of political expression in a Union Territory.
-
Who Defines History?: The struggle over holidays, anniversaries, and public memory frames an ongoing battle over national vs regional identity.
-
Judicial Precedents: Supreme Court backing of Article 370 abrogation empowers administrative reshaping of culture and heritage.
Memory, Identity & the Future of Kashmir
-
Cultural Memory vs Political Power: Martyrs’ Day today represents a litmus test of whether Kashmir’s historical symbols remain in public life.
-
Social Cohesion: Rewriting calendars risks unseen fractures—between those who see martyrdom as a shared democratic value and those enforcing a centralized national narrative.
-
International Perception: The world watches how democratic dissent and historical acknowledgement are balanced in J&K.
Bottom-Line: Who Writes the History?
The Martyrs’ Day controversy is more than an emblematic row—it’s a direct collision between who holds power and who controls the narrative. When history becomes political leverage, collective identity and democratic principles are put under stress. The outcome will shape how future generations in Kashmir remember their past—and who gets to say what was sacrificed, and why.
