Guv Malik skips martyrs day function, Advisor (G) attends & takes salute on guard of honour

Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Saturday preferred to skip the official function at the martyrs graveyard at Khawaja Naqhsband Sahab (RA) shrine in downtown area of Khawaja Bazar while one of his Advisor’s, Khursheed Ahmed Ganai attended the official function and paid floral tributes to the martyrs of July 13, 1931.
It may be recalled here that last year, on this day, when state was under PDP-BJP rule, the then Governor N N Vohra had also boycotted the function even as it has been the practice of all the Chief Ministers and Governor’s of the State to offer tributes to the martyrs of July 13, 1931.
While as Governor Malik decided to stay away from the official function, his advisor Khursheed Ahmed Ganai along with the divisional commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Khan visited the graveyard and offered fateh prayers besides laying wreaths on the graves of martyrs.
Talking to reporters later, Ganai said that the martyrs have offered supreme sacrifices for the upliftment of poor and downtrodden and also for the people’s rights. “They deserve best of the tributes as they laid their lives for human rights and development of the State,” said Ganai.
He also took salute of the guard of honour at the premises of the revered shrine, offered in favour of martyrs of 1931. While political veterans including Dr Farooq Abdullah and Hasnain Masoodi of National Conference, Ab Rehman Veeri of PDP, Engineer Rashid of AIP, M Y Tarigami of CPI (M), Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen of Peoples Democratic Front (PDF), Sajad Lone of Peoples Conference and others made beeline at the martyrs’ graveyard, the authorities had resorted to stringent clampdown in downtown parts to ensure no separatist rally takes place.
All the mainstream leaders questioned the Governor’s decision of skipping the official function. As per the witnesses, the government had deployed forces in length to scuttle any move by youth or separatists aimed at marching towards the martyrs’ graveyard.
Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who was supposed to lead a peaceful march from Jamia Masjid to Martyrs graveyard was kept confined to his Nigeen residence for the second consecutive day. Witnesses said that curbs remained in force in Khanyar, Rainawari, Nowhatta, Mahraj Gunj and Safa Kadal areas of downtown.