NewsEye Desk
Srinagar, July 13: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of giving a communal and regional colour to the July 13 martyrs’ issue, saying those killed in 1931 had raised their voice against autocratic rule and would continue to remain heroes for the people of Kashmir.
“The BJP has turned this into a Hindu-Muslim issue, a Dogra-Kashmiri issue and a Jammu-Kashmir issue. Our elders at that time raised their voice against autocratic rule and were martyred,” Mehbooba said.
She said the BJP cannot control the minds of the people of Jammu and Kashmir or erase the legacy of the 1931 martyrs.
“Those martyrs awakened our people and laid the foundation of democracy. No matter how much the BJP tries to control our minds, they will remain our heroes, just as Bhagat Singh and Mahatma Gandhi are heroes,” she said.
Drawing a sharp comparison, the former chief minister said, “Just as Godse is a hero for the BJP, the Kashmiris who were martyred in 1931 for people’s rule are our martyrs and will remain so, no matter how many restrictions are imposed or how much barbed wire is erected.”
Mehbooba termed the restrictions an “excess”, saying that even if the BJP could not respect the martyrs, people should at least be allowed to pay tributes to them.
“If they cannot respect our martyrs, they should at least not stop us from paying tributes to them,” she said. (NewsEye)
