Paying glowing tributes to the July 13, 1931 martyrs, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Sunday said the day shall always be remembered as a turning point in the history of J&K that marked the beginning of a struggle for democracy and social justice in the region.
In a statement issued here, Bukhari said the heroes who laid down their lives on July 13 are etched in the memory of our people for their bravery and huge sacrifices given for upholding the human values which forms the core of any civilized society.
“JKAP pays humble tributes to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to pave the way for a struggle against autocracy and oppression. The contribution of the martyrs of July 13 will continue to be a beacon of people’s fight for dignity and social justice,” Bukhari observed.
He said that the historic event in J&K and its significance laid the edifice for restructuring of the whole society on the principles of democracy. “Their contribution will remain for future generations as the day laid down the basis for a new society governed by rule of law.”
Bukhari said the struggle invigorated by the sacrifices of July 13 martyrs was principally not a movement against any particular clan or dynasty but against the autocracy which had become a huge hurdle in building a new society, free from exploitation and repression.
“The great sacrifices of our martyrs should not be allowed to be exploited by vested interests who want to create a wedge between the people on the lines of region, caste and creed,” Bukhari averred.
He said that J&K is passing through a critical stage of history and the only course left for peoples’ advancement remains in a resolve to uphold the banner of democracy and unity in diversity. “On this historic day, JKAP resolves to fight the nefarious designs used under different pretexts to undermine the unity and pluralistic ethos of our State,” the JKAP president pledged.