Humiliation of elected govt, says Opposition on J&K CM’s action
As Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and leaders from his party on Monday confronted police to reach Srinagar’s Martyrs’ graveyard, it triggered sharp reactions from political parties in Jammu and Kashmir.
Aditya Gupta, youth president of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stated that when an elected Chief Minister is “manhandled by police, it’s not just an insult to one individual, it’s a brutal assault on the very idea of democracy.”
“This wasn’t a push, it was a deliberate humiliation of an elected govt. The self-respect of the CM, his cabinet, and the mandate of the people has been crushed under the boots of a police state, acting on orders from those who treat J&K like a colony, not a constitutional unit,” Gupta said on X. “If this isn’t your red line Omar Sahib, what is?”
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Altaf Thakur accused the National Conference (NC) of reviving “divisive and dangerous politics” under the garb of commemorating July 13.
“Omar Abdullah is shamelessly indulging in the politics of graves just to remain politically relevant. By glorifying the events of 1931, he is whitewashing a day soaked in the blood of innocent Kashmiri Pandits. This is not a tribute—it’s a calculated provocation,” Thakur said.
People’s Conference chief and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone claimed, “It was all scripted.”
“For a moment I was impressed. But now that you have given a ball by ball commentary of your so-called struggle in reaching the Martyrs Graveyard — I will bet my life. It was all scripted. I will still tell you. That the institution of Chief Minister is much bigger than the person of the incumbent Chief Minister. Please save this institution. Please step down,” he said on X.
“A security person will try to grapple or stop a Chief Minister is a humiliation for all of us. Don’t set a precedence which others will have to follow. A precedence of humiliation. These choreographed events are too predictable. Stop insulting the intelligence of common Kashmiri,” Sajad added.
Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq remarked that “power teaches little, Powerlessness teaches more.”
“Today the CM sahab tasted the bitter medicine of authoritarian high handedness and subsequent helplessness that common Kashmiri’s face every day in different forms, as all agency and space is denied to them,” he said.
Mirwaiz added, “Hoping this experience shifts his focus to what is the first priority of every person- upholding their dignity, and their fundamental rights, and work sincerely towards its restoration.”
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also reacted on the issue. “What is wrong in visiting the graveyard of martyrs? This is not only unfortunate, it also snatches the democratic right of a citizen,” Banerjee posted on X.
J & K