CM appeals for calm, seeks people’s support to pull state out of bloodshed
Mufti pays homage to martyrs of 1931; says upholding democratic values is tribute to them
SRINAGAR: In her first public appearance after violent protests erupted in Kashmir valley, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday paid tributes to the martyrs of the 1931 struggle against the Dogra rule and appealed for calm in the strifetorn region.
During her visit to old city’s Naqshband Shahib Shrine, she described the martyrs as “brave heroes who laid down their lives against suppression and autocracy, and put in place the foundations for democracy in the state.”
July 13 — Martyr’s Day in Kashmir — is celebrated to commemorate death of 22 Kashmiris in 1931 at the hands of the forces of Dogra rulers.
“The biggest tribute to these martyrs will be to uphold democratic values. We should maintain calm and protect what they have achieved for us,” chief minister said.
Seeking people’s support in pulling the state out of the vortex of violence and bloodshed, the chief minister said her heart is overwhelmed with great sadness and sorrow as a result of the killings in the latest spate of violence in Kashmir.
“We have to jointly safeguard our state and our people from further bloodshed and destruction,” she said and, added that while her government’s immediate priority will be to reach out to the affected families with a ‘healing-touch’, in the long run a concerted effort shall have to be launched to make peace and stability a reality.
“I need people’s support in realising the dream of a politically emancipated, economically self-reliant and socially-secure Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.
OMAR PAYS HOMAGE
National Conference (NC) president Omar Abdullah also paid tributes to the martyrs on Wednesday.
Criticising the PDP-BJP government for their ‘flawed priorities’, Abdullah said protests are spreading to all places but the government is busy ferrying people to venues in police buses instead of concentrating on governance.
Omar reiterated that the state government has to put a stop to the cycle of killings. He said the Centre should send supplies and doctors to Kashmir as hospitals are over loaded.
Omar alleged that the government has failed to assess the situation after death of militant commander Burhan Wani. “I have spoken to home minister and expressed concerns about the visuals and videos on social media, where forces are seen breaking ambulances and beating up injured,” he added.
Immediately after leaving the venue, Abdullah reiterated the same in a series of tweets.
He also appealed to the Prime Minister to send doctors to Srinagar as it was done for Kerala.
KP ORGANISATIONS OBSERVE BLACK DAY
Various organisations of internally-displaced Kashmiri Pandits observed Black Day to protest against the observance of the Martyrs Day on Wednesday by the state administration.