J&K Assembly Erupts Over Sunil Sharma’s Martyrs’ Day Remark
A major controversy broke out in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on March 5, 2025, after BJP leader Sunil Sharma made remarks against July 13 Martyrs’ Day.
• PDP leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra demanded the reinstatement of the July 13 Martyrs’ Day holiday.
• Sunil Sharma strongly opposed this, calling the 1931 martyrs “traitors.”
• His statement angered opposition parties like PDP, Congress, and CPI(M), leading to protests in the assembly.
Assembly’s Response
• Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather ordered that Sharma’s remarks be removed from official records.
• In protest, all 28 BJP MLAs walked out of the assembly.
• July 13, 1931, marks the killing of 22 protesters outside Srinagar Central Jail during a revolt against Maharaja Hari Singh.
•Some see them as freedom fighters, while others question their role, making the issue politically sensitive.
