July 13, 1931 – a date which remains indelible in the history of Kashmir, marking the unassailable valour of the denizens. The day of 13th of July, 1931 saw the mass killing of 22 Kashmiris at the hands of Dogra regime forces. In defiance of the atrocities of the regime, there was a man by the name of Abdul Qadeer Gazi, who had become the leading voice against the prevailing order of the day. Addressing the congregation at Khanqah-e-Mohalla, he had spoken vehemently against the oppression and the pressing need to raise a collective voice. This strong speech landed him in jail and subsequently, cases were lodged against him. People took to streets in support of Gazi and assembled outside the Srinagar central jail which resulted in killing of 22 Kashmiris. From 1932 on wards, the day was being observed as the ‘Martyrs Day’ which also sought a place in the government’s official holiday list. Every year the top functionaries from the government would visit Mazar-e-Shuhada (Martyr’s graveyard) to pay tribute to the hailed martyrs who were buried in a graveyard adjacent to a Holy shrine. However in the aftermath of recent political developments, the government dropped July 13 from the list of official holidays. Among the general public though, it continues to remain one of the important dates in Kashmir’s history. However, given the lock-down situation forced by the Coronavirus pandemic, the processions by commoners have also somehow got affected. Nevertheless, the day reminds us of the infinite sacrifices given by the people of this land and bears the torch of courage, resistance and resilience. Hope, that the government once again includes the day in the official holidays’ list.
