The Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir has passed a resolution calling for the restoration of the region’s special status. The resolution urges the Indian government to initiate dialogue with the elected representatives of Jammu and Kashmir to restore constitutional provisions and protections that once safeguarded the region’s unique identity, culture, and rights. The Assembly’s stance reaffirms the importance of this special status, expressing deep concern over its unilateral revocation and the erosion of protections that once shielded Kashmir’s people and identity. The call is clear: India must recognize the legitimacy of Kashmir’s elected representatives in negotiating a return to its original constitutional standing. Since the abrogation of Article 370, Indian military actions in the region have intensified, plunging Kashmir into a new era of control and confinement. The restrictions on personal freedoms and the heavy military presence have led to widespread abuses, leaving residents besieged within their own homes.
Kashmiris, well aware of the tenuous legitimacy of even this local assembly in the eyes of the Indian government, continue their resistance—a struggle India has repeatedly sought to quash. Yet, the calls for autonomy endure, reflecting a collective resilience in the face of relentless suppression. In a tragic incident underscoring the region’s ongoing turmoil, Indian forces recently shot and killed two Kashmiri youths in the districts of Kupwara and Bandipora. This violent reality has become routine for many Kashmiris, with loss and mourning now woven into the fabric of daily life. In commemoration of this enduring sacrifice, Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control, along with diaspora communities worldwide, observed Jammu Martyrs’ Day on Wednesday. This solemn day serves as a powerful reminder of the struggle for self-determination and a renewed commitment to the cause for which countless lives have been lost.
Leaders and groups associated with the All Parties Hurriyat Conference paid tribute to the martyrs of Jammu, vowing that their blood would not be spilled in vain. These leaders honored the courage of those who died for the right to self-determination, marking their sacrifice as a sacred, unforgotten legacy. This remembrance is rooted in the painful memory of November 6, 1947, when Maharaja Hari Singh’s forces, along with armed bands and paramilitary troops, launched a horrifying massacre against Kashmiri Muslims. Tens of thousands of Kashmiris were slaughtered as they attempted to migrate to Pakistan—a mass killing driven by a clear motive: to erase the Muslim majority in Jammu.
Each year, Kashmiris observe Jammu Martyrs’ Day on November 6 to remember this tragedy, standing in solidarity with those who fell and renewing their vow to uphold the legacy of resistance. This annual commemoration is not only a reminder of the atrocities committed but also a resounding declaration that the people of Jammu and Kashmir remain unbowed. The massacre remains one of the most devastating chapters in the region’s history, a haunting reminder of the cost of unfulfilled promises of autonomy and the right to self-determination. The region continues to wrestle with the scars of this violence as Kashmiris honor the fallen and strive for recognition on the world stage. In a world often indifferent to their plight, Jammu and Kashmir’s story is a call for justice—a reminder that the path to peace is found not in repression but in restoring the dignity, rights, and autonomy of those who have been denied for so long.
