Dr. Ghulam N. Mir
President
World Kashmir Awareness Forum

July 9, 2025

Nearly a century ago, 22 unarmed and peaceful Muslim protesters were gunned down to death by the armed forces of Hari Singh, the last ruler of the tyrannical Dogra dynasty outside the Central Jail in the capital city Srinagar. They had gathered there to hold vigil during the trial of their hero Abdul Qadeer who was being tried by Hari Singh’s kangaroo court. That historic massacre of July 13, 1931, came to be mourned and memorialized as the Martyrs Day by Kashmiris everywhere. That event marked the beginning of the popular uprising against the tyrannical rule of the ruling dynasty under the protectorate of British monarchy.

Unfortunately for Kashmiris the tyranny would not end there, and in 1947 Hari Singh’s rule would end, but not until he had surrendered to the invading Indian armed forces. Kashmiris lost their final opportunity to establish a free and democratic state of their own.

Kashmiris have continuously given immense sacrifices under the post- independence India. Massacre after massacre have continued to take place under Indian occupation, ethnic cleansing and colonization. Indian state under Modi’s Hindutva has abolished even the celebration of Martyrdom from the Kashmiri calendar since annexation of Kashmir on August 5, 2019, but the people of Kashmir have vowed to resist, no matter at what cost.

The world powers need to understand that Kashmir issue cannot be wished away. It demands an immediate attention to establish the process leading to a peaceful resolution. Kashmiri sacrifices – physical, mental and economic – cannot be erased from the memory or history.

Freedom is not offered on a platter. The Martyrs Graveyard in Srinagar will always remind us of the sanctity of those who sacrificed for truth and justice and for freedom.