Leaders Condemn House Arrests on Martyrs' Day in Kashmir

'The 13 July massacre is our Jallianwala Bagh. Those who laid down their lives did so against British tyranny'

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

Calling it a "blatantly undemocratic" move, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday criticised the authorities for confining several mainstream political leaders, including those from the ruling National Conference (NC), to their homes in order to prevent them from visiting the historic Martyrs' Graveyard in downtown Srinagar. The graveyard is the resting place of those killed on 13 July 1931.

Among those reportedly placed under house arrest were former CM and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone, former minister Naeem Akhtar, NC leader and MLA Tanvir Sadiq, Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari, and Kashmir's chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. These leaders had planned to pay tribute to the 22 Kashmiris who were killed by state forces during a protest against Maharaja Hari Singh's rule in 1931.