Diplomat Correspondent
Srinagar/Jammu, (DD) – The controversy over July 13 martyrs escalated today as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) staged a protest in Srinagar, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of disrespecting the martyrs, while the BJP held a counter-protest in Jammu.
PDP leaders and workers marched in Srinagar, condemning the BJP’s alleged attempts to erase the significance of July 13, 1931, a day historically observed in Jammu and Kashmir as Martyrs’ Day. PDP leaders accused the saffron party of trying to rewrite history and dishonor those who laid down their lives against autocratic rule.
“The BJP is deliberately trying to erase our history and disrespect our martyrs. This is unacceptable,” a PDP leader said during the protest.
BJP Hits Back with Protest in Jammu
In response, BJP workers staged a protest in Jammu, defending their stance and accusing the opposition of politicizing the issue for electoral gains. BJP leaders questioned the legacy of July 13 martyrs, arguing that the narrative around the day needs to be revisited.
“The so-called martyrs were part of a communal uprising. It is time to acknowledge history with honesty,” a BJP leader claimed, reinforcing the party’s long-standing opposition to the observance of July 13 as Martyrs’ Day.
The political standoff over July 13, 1931, continues to widen the ideological divide between regional parties and the BJP, setting the stage for further confrontations(DD)