Srinagar, July 14: All India Trinamol Congress chairperson and chief minister West Bengal, Mamta Banerjee today expressed shock over stopping chief minister Omar Abdullah by authorities from visiting martyrs’ graveyard in Naqashband area of central Kashmir’s Srinagar.
She questioned that what is wrong in visiting the graveyard of martyrs, and said barring chief minister Jammu and Kashmir from visiting the graveyard is not only “unfortunate”, but it also snatches the democratic right of a citizen.
She termed the incident “unacceptable”, “shocking” and “shameful”.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), West Bengal chief minister Mamta Banerjee said: “What is wrong in visiting the graveyard of martyrs? This is not only unfortunate, it also snatches the democratic right of a citizen”.
“What happened this morning to an elected Chief Minister @OmarAbdullah is unacceptable. Shocking. Shameful,” she said on X.
Earlier chief minister Omar Abdullah and senior party leaders visited the Naqashband Sahib shrine in Srinagar to pay tributes to the July 13 martyrs.
According to details, the chief Minister Omar Abdullah, NC President Farooq Abdullah offered prayers and floral tributes at the martyrs’ graveyard.
The party leadership, including deputy CM Surinder Choudhary, CM’s Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA’s Tanvir Sadiq, Ahsan Pardesi and other, participated in the visit.
The visit came a day after the district administration Srinagar denied permission for gatherings near Khawaja Bazar, including any congregational programme to mark Martyrs’ Day. The National Conference had earlier applied for permission to hold a commemorative event, which was not granted.
While the day was officially commemorated in the past, it is no longer a gazetted holiday while National Conference continues to observe the day independently.
