• Source:JND
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The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday put several political leaders across the UT under house detention to prevent them from visiting the Martyrs' cemetery in Srinagar on the Martyrs' Day. This drew sharp criticism from regional parties like the National Conference and People's Democratic Party (PDP).

Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah termed it a 'blatantly undemocratic move' and described the importance of the day by saying July 13 is their Jallianwala Bagh.

In a post on X, CM Abdullah said, "In a blatantly undemocratic move, homes have been locked from the outside, police & central forces deployed as jailers & major bridges in Srinagar blocked".

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"All to stop people from visiting a historically important grave yard containing the graves of people who laid down their lives to give Kashmiris a voice & to empower them. I will never understand what the Law & Order government is so afraid of", he added.

In another post he said, "13th July massacre is our Jallianwala Bagh. The people who laid down their lives did so against the British. Kashmir was being ruled under the British Paramountcy. What a shame that true heroes who fought against British rule in all its forms are today projected as villains only because they were Muslims. We may be denied the opportunity to visit their graves today but we will not forget their sacrifices."

PDP chief and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir state, Mehbooba Mufti said, "The day you accept our heroes as your own just as Kashmiris have embraced yours, from Mahatma Gandhi to Bhagat Singh that day, as Prime Minister Modi once said, the “dil ki doori” (distance of hearts) will truly end."

She also named her party leaders who were detained inside their houses like Khurshid Allam , Zohaib Mir , Hamid Kohsheen, Arif Liagroo, Sara Nayeema, Tabassum , Basharat Naseem, and other. Other prominent leaders like Sajjad Lone have also been house detained.

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What is Martyrs' Day?

July 13 observed as Martyrs' Day in Jammu and Kashmir, was the day when 22 Kashmiris, the supporters of Abdul Qadeer who had called on Kashmiris to rise against Maharaja Hari Singh's rule, were shot dead by the Dogra army in 1931.

They were shot dead while they were protesting outside the Srinagar jail. The days used to be a public holiday until Article 370 was abrogated in August 2019. The Kashmiri's commemorate this day as a fight for sle