On this day every year Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and the world over observe the Kashmir Martyrs’ Day (Youm-e-Shuhada-e-Kashmir) to pay homage to the martyrs of 13th July 1931. State holiday is observed in Azad Kashmir and strike in Indian held Jammu & Kashmir in remembrance of 22 Muslim protesters killed one after another, outside Central Jail in Srinagar on that day by Dogra forces of Hari Singh in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. From 1949 till 2019 this day was officially observed as Kashmir Martyrs’ Day in Indian held Kashmir also but after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, Indian government has removed it from the list of public holidays.
This tragic day is the milestone in the history of Kashmiri struggle against despotic rule in the held valley.
Since April 1931 the Muslims of the state were perturbed over the desecration of the Holy Quran at the hands of Dogra forces, in June they started public gathering and demonstrations to denounce the blasphemy. After one of the meeting that was held in Khanqah-e-Maulla Srinagar a youth Abdul Qadir raised slogans against Maharaja Hari Singh. He was arrested on the 25th of June, 1931 on the charge of sedition. Abdul Qadir was accused of delivering an inflammatory speech. His trial started on the 4th of July in the Court of the Sessions Judge, Srinagar. Large number of Muslims would assemble in front of the Court to witness this trial. Due to public outrage the case was shifted to Srinagar central jail instead of open court.
On July 12, intense public demonstrations were held throughout the Srinagar to protest on the shifting of court. The next day, thousands of people assembled in front of the Srinagar central jail to express their solidarity with Abdul Qadir. At the time of Zohar prayer, a young Kashmiri stood and started Azan. The Dogra Governor, Ray Tarlok Chand ordered troops to open fire at him. He was shot, another young man took his place and started Azan. He was also shot and martyred. In this way, 22 Kashmiris one after another embraced martyrdom in their efforts to complete the Azan.
This brutal action of the Dgra force ignited fire in the whole valley. The protesters carried the martyred and paraded through the streets of Srinagar, chanting slogans against the atrocities of Dogra rule. The whole city was mourning complete shutdown was observed in the city, which was followed by week long mourning. This incident shook the whole state and the traffic from Srinagar to Rawalpindi and Srinagar to Jammu came to a standstill from 13th July to 26th July. The martyrs were buried in the compound of Kanqah-i-Maulla at Khawaja Bazar, Srinagar. The place has since come to be known as Mazar-i-Shuhada (Martyrs’ Graveyard).
According to the evidence, officially placed before the Riots Inquiry Commission, one hundred and eighty rounds were fired. 17 Muslims were killed on the spot and 40 received serious injuries. 5 of whom died later in the Jamia Masjid. The Hindu, Daily Tribune, dated 28th July, 1931, admitted the death of 21 Muslims in this cruel firing.
The violence spread in other parts of Jammu and Kashmir three British companies, numbering about 500 soldiers, were sent to restore law and order, the government clamped martial law and handed over the city to the army’.
Importance of the 13th July
The author of “Jammu and Kashmir”, Jyoti Bhusan Das Gupta, writes ” modern Kashmir’s ‘freedom movement’ was born on 13 July 1931″. Another renowned Kashmiri politician, scholar, and author Pandit Prem Nath Bazaz in his book The History of Struggle for Freedom in Kashmir, wrote “Historically and politically, 13th July 1931 was the most important day in the annals of contemporary Kashmir. From this day the struggle for independence and freedom in the most modern sense started openly”.
All over the world Kashmiris observed this day with great zeal and determination to continue their struggle for the freedom of their motherland from foreign occupation. Its’ an official holiday in Pakistani side of Kashmir and a complete shut down is observed in Indian held part of Kashmir. Rallies and seminars are organized and speakers vows to follow the footstep of the freedom fighter till the achievement of Independence.
