Avinash Azad
Expressing displeasure on social media, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday criticised sections of the media for not reporting what he termed as the “house arrest” of elected leaders on July 13.
In a series of posts on X, Omar questioned the editorial choices of several publications, accusing them of ignoring the alleged restrictions placed on political leaders.
“Take a look at our local newspapers – both from Jammu & from Srinagar, English & vernacular. You’ll be able to distinguish the cowards from the ones with guts,” Omar wrote. “The cowards have completely buried the fact that the entire elected government was locked up yesterday along with most elected representatives. The newspapers with some guts have put it on the front page. Shame on the sellouts who buried the story, I hope the size of the envelope was worth it.”
In another post, Omar invoked the words of late BJP leader Arun Jaitley, saying, “To borrow from the late Arun Jaitley Sb – Democracy in J&K is a tyranny of the unelected. To put it in terms you will all understand today, the unelected nominees of New Delhi locked up the elected representatives of the people of J&K.”
These remarks follow Sunday’s developments, when Omar Abdullah alleged that he and his party colleagues were not allowed by the administration to visit the Mazar-e-Shuhada (Martyrs’ Graveyard) in Srinagar to commemorate the martyrs of July 13, 1931. “The unelected government locked up the elected government,” he posted earlier on Sunday.
JKNC General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar shared on Facebook a copy of a letter dated July 8, 2025, addressed to the Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, seeking permission for the commemorative event.
Similar claims were made by other regional leaders, including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari, and Peoples Conference Chairman Sajad Lone. They alleged that they were denied access to the graveyard on the historically significant day.
“To forget the 13 July martyrs is not just historical amnesia. It is a moral failure. Their graves may be locked behind barricades, but their message lives on in the hearts of every Kashmiri who refuses to bow down,” Mehbooba Mufti wrote on X.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Police issued a public advisory stating that the district administration had not granted permission for any gathering at Khawaja Bazar on July 13. “The public is advised to strictly comply and refrain from violating the orders. Legal action will be taken against any violations,” the advisory stated.
It is pertinent to mention that following the abrogation of Article 370, the Government of India removed July 13 — previously observed as “Martyrs’ Day” in Jammu and Kashmir — from the list of official holidays in December 2019. The day commemorates 21 people who were killed on July 13, 1931, during a protest against Dogra rule in the then princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
