The truth behind July 13 in Kashmir

Every year, as political narratives resurface around July 13, it becomes crucial to revisit the truths obscured by selective memory and politically motivated symbolism.

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What is often commemorated by some as “Martyrs’ Day” is, in reality, viewed by many—nationalist voices—as sedition against the sovereign state and some go the extent of terming it as a Black Day that marked the beginning of communal violence, in Jammu Kashmir that was cleverly crafted by British imperialists.

The events of July 13, 1931, did not occur in isolation. They were preceded by a sequence of incidents that heightened tensions within the then princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. One key figure was Abdul Qadeer, originally a cook for a British Officer who was an outsider possibly sent on a mission. He came to Srinagar and delivered an impassioned highly communal speech at the Khangah-e-Moula mosque on June 21, 1931, calling for ‘Jihad’ against the state and for overthrowing the Hindu Ruler and to establish the rule of ‘Believers’. He was arrested on sedition charge and for safety reasons; his trial was scheduled for July 13 at Srinagar Central Jail. A big gathering for the Zuhr prayer—assembled outside the jail, demanding Qadir’s release. During protest, a section of miscreants attacked the jail to get Qadir and other prisoners freed. The prison guards opened fire, killing 22 attackers. The resulting communal violence that followed left a trail of arson, looting, and killing of Hindus.