Omar Abdullah quotes Arun Jaitley as he alleges house arrest
What's the story
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has alleged that he was placed under house arrest upon returning to Srinagar from New Delhi. He likened the situation to a "tyranny of the unelected," quoting the late Arun Jaitley. Abdullah shared images showing a heavy police presence outside his home, confirming his claims. The allegations come after several ministers from Abdullah's government and opposition leaders were also reportedly detained to prevent them from observing Kashmir Martyrs' Day.
Twitter Post
Abdullah quotes Jaitley
To borrow from the late Arun Jaitley Sb - Democracy in J&K is a tyranny of the unelected.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) July 13, 2025
To put it in terms you will all understand today the unelected nominees of New Delhi locked up the elected representatives of the people of J&K. pic.twitter.com/hTkWlR0P0s
Martyrs's Day
Restrictions 'blatantly undemocratic': Abdullah
The Srinagar district magistrate had denied permission to the National Conference's request to pay tribute to 22 people killed by the Dogra army on July 13, 1931. The Srinagar Police issued a public advisory denying permission for gatherings at Khawaja Bazar, Nowhatta. Abdullah condemned these restrictions as "blatantly undemocratic," alleging homes were locked from outside and police deployed as jailers.
Historical comparison
Abdullah compares incident to Jallianwala Bagh massacre
In a separate post, Abdullah compared the July 13, 1931 incident to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He said leaders may be denied visits to graves today but "will never forget their sacrifices." Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Chaudhary also alleged his official residence in Kashmir was locked by authorities. He called it a threat to democracy and demanded statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.
Additional detentions
Mufti, Lone also make similar claims
People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti said her party leaders were detained in police stations while others were locked in their homes. She called the actions oppressive and compared them to times fought against by the 13 July martyrs. Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone also claimed he was stopped from leaving his residence, calling the sacrifices made on July 13 sacred for Kashmiris.
Historical incident
Why July 13 is observed as Martyrs's Day
On July 13, 1931, thousands of Kashmiris protested outside Srinagar's central jail in support of Abdul Qadar, who was charged with sedition by the Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh. The protests turned violent when Dogra forces opened fire, killing 22 people. In Jammu and Kashmir, July 13 was a public holiday until August 2019, when the state was reorganized into two Union territories. However, it was removed from the gazetted holidays list in 2020.