The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) on Friday announced that its chief and Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid will observe a token hunger strike on July 13 to pay tribute to the martyrs of July 13, 1931.
AIP chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi said the hunger strike would also protest what the party termed the “continued disregard” by both the Union Government and the Jammu and Kashmir Government towards the legacy of the 1931 martyrs.
Martyrs' Day commemorates 22 civilians killed in 1931
Martyrs’ Day commemorates the 22 civilians who were killed on July 13, 1931, while protesting against the Dogra regime.
Nabi said the sacrifices of the July 13 martyrs hold a defining place in the political history of Jammu and Kashmir. “The 22 martyrs laid down their lives while raising their voice against autocratic rule and demanding justice, civil liberties, representative governance and democratic rights for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Political awakening and turning point
He said their sacrifice marked a turning point in the region’s political awakening and inspired the struggle for constitutional and democratic rights.
Nabi alleged that official observances associated with July 13 were discontinued during the PDP-BJP coalition government in 2015, following which, according to the party, the official narrative surrounding the day changed. He also claimed that people have since been prevented from freely visiting the martyrs’ graveyard to pay their respects.
Token hunger strike to counter historical erasure
“The token hunger strike by Engineer Rashid is intended to remind people that history cannot be erased or rewritten through administrative decisions. Attempts to distort historical facts or diminish the sacrifices of those who laid down their lives for the democratic and political rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir will never succeed. Their sacrifices remain an inseparable part of our collective memory and political consciousness,” Nabi said.
He added that despite being incarcerated, Engineer Rashid remains committed to raising issues concerning the “political rights, identity and historical legacy of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
