‘July 13 Martyrs’ sacrifices can’t be erased: CM

Jammu, Mar 6: Asserting that sacrifices of “July 13 Martyrs” cannot be erased, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday, said that late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s stature was not tied to December 5 holiday.
Speaking during the Motion of Thanks on the Lieutenant Governor’s address in the Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister, said, “The sacrifices of the martyrs and the contributions of Sher-e-Kashmir remain indelible in the hearts of the people, regardless of political decisions to remove holidays.”
“The 22 people who sacrificed their lives on July 13, 1931, did so for a voice, for some rights. If what they did was wrong, why did Maharaja Hari Singh take the steps he did after their sacrifice? Why did he set up the Glancy Commission? Why did he announce elections after that commission? Why did the Praja Sabha come into existence, which eventually became the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly?” Omar asked.
He added, “If the sacrifices of those people led to the formation of this Assembly, can’t we at least use respectful words for them? Their only fault was that they were Muslims. Admit that. Because in the rest of the country, where voices were raised against autocracy, no one called them traitors. But here, because they were Muslims and were fighting for democracy, such words come so easily from our mouths.”
Omar also addressed the controversy surrounding the holiday on December 5, marking the birth anniversary of Sheikh Abdullah. He revealed that during his previous tenure as the Chief Minister, he had considered abolishing the holiday to reduce the number of public holidays in Jammu and Kashmir.
“If you had asked me, I would have willingly given up that holiday. My colleagues may not remember, but when I was Chief Minister last time, I told my colleagues that I wanted to give up the December 5 holiday. Salaria Sahib is a witness. I said there are too many holidays in Jammu and Kashmir, and I want to reduce them. But if I start cutting other holidays, people will say that you kept your grandfather’s holiday and cut the rest. First, remove the Sher-e-Kashmir holiday on December 5, and then we will reduce the other holidays,” Omar said.
He added that Sheikh Abdullah’s stature is not tied to the December 5 holiday. “What he did for Jammu and Kashmir cannot be erased. Whether you observe July 13 as a holiday or not, whether you observe December 5 as a holiday or not, no one can erase the sacrifices of those people from the hearts of the people here,” he said.
The Chief Minister also addressed the ongoing debate over the abrogation of Article 370. He challenged the opposition to name one development project that could not have been implemented without the removal of Article 370. “Most of the projects you listed were started before 2019. But I won’t get into that debate. I am asking you to name one development-related project that was not possible before the removal of Article 370.,” he said.
Omar also refuted claims that Article 370 was responsible for corruption, nepotism, and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. He pointed out that terrorism has not ceased after the abrogation of Article 370, particularly in Jammu. “If Article 370 alone was responsible for terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, then it should have stopped after its removal. But it did not. So, there is more to it,” he said.
The Chief Minister criticized the use of the Public Safety Act (PSA) to detain individuals without trial. He argued that if the government has evidence against those detained, they should be prosecuted in court rather than held under preventive detention.
“If you are keeping people in jail for years based solely on the PSA, it means you have no evidence to prosecute them, no case against them. You are simply detaining them under the PSA. If what you say is true—that they are stone-pelters, OGWs (Over Ground Workers), or terrorists—then why do you need preventive detention? Preventive detention is needed when you cannot build a case against someone,” Omar said.
The Chief Minister reiterated his commitment to restoring statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. He expressed confidence that all members of the Assembly would support a resolution in favor of statehood if brought to the floor.
“We believe that there is no party or person here who is against statehood. But if Sajad Sahib [Sajad Lone] has doubts that some people are against statehood, bring the resolution. Today, I say that all our members will vote in favor of it,” he said.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the need for clarity in governance and announced that the Cabinet had approved new business rules to streamline administrative processes. “Last night, around 8 PM, we held a Cabinet meeting, and our business rules have been framed. The Cabinet has approved them, and the approval has been sent to the Lieutenant Governor. We hope that it will be approved so that at least until this system is in place—I am assuming it is temporary—it should function properly,” Omar said. (KNO)