By Dr. Ghulam NabiFai

WASHINGTON - Dr. Imtiaz Khan, Kashmiri American scholar said that on 13 July 1931, thousands of Kashmiris flocked to the central jail in Srinagar to see the trial of Abdul Qadeer. As the time for obligatory Zuhr prayer approached, a Kashmiri stood up to deliver the sermon to call the worshippers (Adhan). The Dogra governor, Raizada Tartilok Chand, ordered his soldiers to open fire on them, total 22 Kashmiris died in the firing. The people carried the dead through the streets of Maharajganj, Srinagar, chanting slogans opposing Dogra brutality. The incident shook the state, and a week-long period of mourning was observed. The crowds buried the bodies of those killed by the state forces in the graveyard attached to the Shrine of Khwaja Bahawuddin Naqshband in Srinagar, which has since come to be known as Mazar-e-Shuhada or the Martyrs' Graveyard. The day was removed as an official holiday of Jammu and Kashmir by the government of India in December 2019.  Kashmiris' world over continues to observe the day by remembering the martyrs who courageously combated the repression of Dogra rule.

Dr. Khan added that things have worsened in Kashmir and the barbarity of the Dogra regime has been replaced by the savagery of Indian government. Occupied Kashmir continues to be under subjugation and Indian forces can kill youth, molest women, maim the children, loot and plunder the property of Kashmiris with impunity. Under the pretext of draconian laws like AFSPA people are being abducted, tortured, killed and their corpses disposed off and pleas of the families fall on deaf ears. Since 2019, the Hindu fundamentalist regime of India is actively pursuing the agenda of changing the demographic character of the region by infusing hundreds of thousands of extremist Hindus in the region.

Dr. Imtiaz Khan continued that the supreme leader of Kashmiri freedom movement Syed Ali Shah Geelani died in 2021 and he was denied access to medical treatment before he passed away. His dead body was confiscated by occupation forces and his family was not allowed to perform religious rites. Till date people of Kashmir for whom Ali Geelani was a father figure are not allowed to visit his grave where he is buried against the wishes of his children. Leaders like Yasin Malik and internationally recognized human right activist Khurram Parvez continue to be incarcerated for frivolous charges. The ultimate goal of Indian establishment is to eliminate all the genuine leadership of Kashmiri movement. However, history bears testimony to the fact that the fire of freedom cannot by extinguished by these bestial and brutish acts. People of Indian occupied Kashmir have time and again proven that the struggle will continue, notwithstanding the oppressive measures. Let all the Kashmiris and freedom loving people of the world join today in paying respect to martyrs who laid their lives for the justice, freedom and above all for the liberation of their land.

Dr. Ghulam N. Mir, President, World Kashmir Awareness Forum & Chairman, Kashmir Diaspora Coalition said that "On July 13, 1931 Kashmir suffered its first major hear wrenching massacre at the hands of the Hindu Maharaja Hari Singh in Srinagar, the capital city of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.  Many unarmed Kashmiri civilians had gathered for a vigil in front of the Srinagar Central Jail where a legendary traveler, Qadeer Khan was being tried for his public exhortations encouraging the Kashmiris to rise against the 100-year Dogra tyranny and oppression of Muslims of the Kashmir Valley."

Dr. Mir added that the Dogra militias were ordered to shoot to kill as the peaceful Muslims to offer their mid-day prayers. At least 22 worshippers were shot death on spot. Many were injured. Masses then buried the dead and took out processions through the city. This ruthless massacre proved to be the harbinger of the dawn of the eventual political and civil rights movements, including the Muslim Conference. Kashmiris around the world celebrate July 13, 1931, as the Martyrs' Day. On this day, we pay tribute to our heroes and pledge our allegiance to our cause, defy the tyrannical Indian occupation and settler-colonialism."

Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Chairman, World Forum for Peace & Justice, made a critical appeal for the world powers to recognize the long-standing wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people as they observe Martyrs Day today, July 13th.  Kashmiris, throughout the world, are observing the Kashmir Martyrs Day to reaffirm their resolve to continue their struggle for self-determination and pay homage to more than 100,000 innocent men, women and children killed brutally within the past 34 years.

Dr Fai, commenting on the tragic day, stated 'It was on July 13, 1931, that the foreign occupying Dogra troops shot dead 22 Kashmiris, in cold blood, in front of Srinagar Central Jail.' Since that inauspicious day, Kashmiris have organized peaceful protests, seminars and conferences throughout the world. 

On this martyr's day, Dr. Fai added that the nation of Kashmir would also like to pay rich tribute to Robert Thorpe, British national for his invaluable sacrifice for the people of Kashmir. He is considered to be the first martyr of Kashmir who raised his voice against the brutality and atrocious rule of Maharajah Ranbir Singh as early as 1850's. He wrote and published articles extensively in Anglo-Indian newspapers about the pain and suffering of the people of Kashmir under Maharaja's rule. It is reported that the Maharaja's men attacked Robert Thorpe while he was hiking at Takhat-e-Sulaiman near the Dal Lake, Srinagar and he died on the spot. Later, "Cashmere Misgovernment" (His writings) was published posthumously in 1870 in England.

Dr. Fai quoted Ambassador Yusuf Buch who narrated to him that the final wish of a dying Kashmiri martyr who was on his deathbed in the hospital said to Ambassador Buch who was 9 years old at that time and his elder brother Amin Buch on July 13, 1931, "(Aaseey niboou panin zimadari. Woin chou thuhund faraz aath madad karun) We tried our best to do what we could, now it is on your shoulder to move the movement forward." I believe, Fai passionately appealed that message of dying martyr needs to be taken seriously by the global Kashmiri diaspora leadership.

Dr. Fai is also the Secretary General, World Kashmir Awareness Forum. He can be reached at: WhatsApp: 1-202-607-6435.  Or.   gnfai2003@yahoo.com

www.kashmirawareness.org