Why Governor Vohra Chose to Skip Kashmir Martyrs’ Memorial Day

Why did Governor Vohra and his three advisors not turn up for the Martyrs’ Day ceremony on 13 July?

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(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Until midnight last, nobody in the Jammu and Kashmir government knew who exactly would represent the state at the Martyrs’ Day ceremony at the Naqashband Sahab shrine and cemetery, just a couple of furlongs short of the summer capital’s dreaded flashpoint – Jamia Masjid, Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s religious seat.

Nowhatta Chowk, where CRPF Commanding Officer Pramod Kumar was killed in an audacious suicide strike on Independence Day in 2016, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mohammad Ayub Pandith, was lynched on 23 June, 2017, and a fierce mob attack on a paramilitary gypsy took place with one fatal casualty under its tyres on 1 June this year, is even nearer to the martyrs’ memorial.

The separatists, as usual, had announced shutdown across the state on Friday and called upon the Kashmiris to march to Mazaar-e-Shuhada (the martyrs’ graveyard) for paying tributes to the martyrs of 1931. Senior separatist leader and head of a faction of the Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, had posted on Twitter:

“In keeping with the tradition of paying tributes to the Martyrs of 13 July (1931) Hurriyat and AAC (Awami Action Committee) activists held a meet at Mirwaiz Manzil Rajouri Kadal to finalise the programme. Was not allowed to attend as my enforced House Detention continues. The sacrifice of these martyrs who laid the foundation of our freedom struggle and lakhs of Kashmiris since then will inshallah be rewarded and we will achieve our goal!”

As usual, authorities decided to impose curfew-like restrictions, disallowing anybody from walking or driving towards the Martyrs’ Graveyard.

The Programme Schedule

In the evening, it had been communicated to the Police and civil administration that Kashmir’s Divisional Commissioner Baseer Khan and Director General of Police, Shesh Paul Vaid, would be the chief guests at the state service.

Most of the officials expected a change in the programme, knowing well that the chief minister or the governor – in the absence of the chief minister – have rarely been absent at this ceremony since 1948.

In contrast to the routine Fatiha offering and gun salute between 8 am and 9 am, the Governor’s administration for this year had scheduled the official ceremony for half an hour from 6:30 am to 7 am. It was to be followed by separate 30-minute slots by NC, PDP and Congress.

Exactly at midnight, it was flashed on the Police and paramilitary communication system that Governor Narendra Nath Vohra himself would appear at the memorial at 5 am Friday to pay tributes to the martyrs. According to the new schedule, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Swayam Prakash Pani, would arrive at the spot at 4 am. Thousands of men from the J&K Police besides 15 companies of CRPF were deployed in town to prevent any potential sabotage from militants and separatists.

Everything had been put in place.

Surprisingly, neither the governor nor any of his three advisors – K Vijay Kumar, Khursheed Ahmad Ganai and Bharat Bhushan Vyas – turned up at the fortified venue.

Not even Chief Secretary BVR Subramaniam was anywhere in sight. The ritual of attendance was left to Divisional Commissioner Baseer Khan and DGP Vaid.

Why Did Governor Vohra Drag His Feet Back?

Sources privy to the developments disclosed to The Quint that Governor Vohra and his advisors dragged their feet back after right wing enthusiasts from politics to media raised eyebrows on Mr Vohra’s tributes to the Kashmiri martyrs. At 4:35 pm, Governor had posted on Twitter:

“Jammu and Kashmir has been known for its glorious pluralistic ethos, amity and brotherhood. On the occasion of Martyr’s Day, I appeal to the people to work towards restoring the pristine glory of the State as an abode of peace, harmony and prosperity.”

It was appreciatively retweeted by the former Chief Minister and the NC vice president Omar Abdullah.

Brouhaha Over Vohra’s Tweet

According to sources familiar with the matter, Mr Vohra’s tweet snowballed into a major political controversy when BJP and RSS leaders and their followers from Jammu to New Delhi began asking how a representative of the BJP-led central government had paid tributes to the Kashmiris, who had “attacked Hindu soldiers in an anarchical demonstration at a trial court in Srinagar” on 13 July, 1931.

Many Twitter users raised eyebrows over Mr Vohra’s tweet and alleged Martyr’s Day is nothing but a distortion of history.

Amid a flurry of criticism, New Delhi based Kashmiri journalist Aditya Raj Kaul of Republic TV also tweeted in response to the governor:

“Dear Governor Sir, it is not Martyrs Day but a Black day in J&K. Hundreds of mobsters and rioters murdered and raped people on July 13, 1931. When rioters were challenged by police, some died. You are calling the same mobsters as ‘Martyrs’ today. Really?”

It was liked and retweeted by hundreds of people.

What Had Happened on 13 July 1931?

The annual ceremony for 22 Kashmiris, who fell to the bullets of Dogra Maharaja Hari Singh’s security forces on 13 July, 1931, is held with state honours every year. Over the last 70 years, 13 July has been a state holiday in the government calendar.

It has been a ritual for every chief minister to attend the ceremony and pay floral tribute to the martyrs’ who revolted against tyranny of the Maharaja’s troops and triggered a movement that ended with takeover of the democratic set up under Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s leadership in 1947.

Maharaja’s soldiers had gunned down around two dozen Kashmiris outside Srinagar Central Jail when a surcharged crowd attacked them during the course of a trial against one Abdul Qadeer Khan who had been charged with treason for a speech against the Dogra monarchy.

In 1996-2002, even the Maharaj’s grandson, Ajatshatru Singh, who was a minister in Farooq Abdullah’s cabinet, was seen attending the state service and paying tributes to the martyrs.

It was only after the first post-1990 regional and communal polarisation in the year 2008 that the politicians from Jammu, particularly those from BJP and RSS, developed reservations to attendance at the Martyrs’ Day service. However, when the things stabilised and Omar Abdullah took over as chief minister of the NC-Congress coalition in 2009, ministers from Jammu were spotted in the official delegation at the Martyrs’ Graveyard in Srinagar.

Again, when Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s PDP-BJP coalition assumed power in March 2015, BJP’s ministers – all from Jammu – not only boycotted the martyrs’ ceremonial but also began demanding withdrawing the state holiday on 13 July. They have been, instead, calling for commemoration and honours to Maharaja Hari the Dogra monarchy (1846-1947).