Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti Wednesday paid homage to the martyrs of 1931 and said these valiant men scripted a new dawn in the state’s history by laying the edifice for democracy and human dignity.The Chief Minister laid floral wreaths and offered Fateaha at Mazar-e-Shohada (Martyrs Graveyard) at Naqshband Sahab in Nowhatta area of Shahr-e-Khaas (Old City) this morning.Ms Mehbooba said July 13, 1931 will always be remembered as a defining moment in the history of Jammu and Kashmir when the foundation for democracy and people's rule was laid in the State. “Each period of our State’s history has had its special challenges and those confronting us today are as demanding as any in the past,” she said.Seeking people’s support in pulling J&K out of the vortex of violence and bloodshed, the Chief Minister said her heart is overwhelmed with great sadness and sorrow as a result of the killings in the latest spate of violence in Kashmir. “The 27 year long violence has left deep wounds in almost each home here and we have to jointly safeguard our State and our people from further bloodshed and destruction,” she said and added that while her Government’s immediate priority would be to reach out to the affected families with a ‘healing-touch’, in the long run a concerted effort shall have to be launched to make peace and stability a reality in Jammu and Kashmir, with youth being the focus of the Government’s welfare initiatives.“I need people’s support in realizing the dream of a politically emancipated, economically self-reliant and socially secure Jammu and Kashmir,” she said and added that she won’t let the people down, despite facing a challenging task.
Talking to media-persons on the sidelines of the wreath-laying ritual, the Chief Minister said the biggest tribute to these martyrs would be to protect J&K’s dignity and democracy which became a reality in the state because of their huge sacrifices. “The real homage one can pay to these martyrs is to protect and safeguard what these valiant men achieved for J&K by sacrificing their precious lives,” she said and added the sacrifices of the martyrs laid the foundation for democracy and people's rule in the state and their struggle against autocratic rule resulted in the people becoming the fountainhead of power.Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar, Minister of State for Health & Medical Education, Ms Asiea Naqash, Legislators, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Noor Mohammad Sheikh, Anjum Fazili and Mohammad Khurshid Alam, former Legislators, Rafi Ahmad Mir and Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, Director General Police, K Rajendra Kumar, Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Syed Javaid Mujtaba Gillani, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone and other officers of the civil and police administration were present.Earlier, the neatly-dressed contingent of the J&K Armed Police lowered arms and the police band sounded the last post to pay homage to the martyrs.