Srinagar, July 12: Jammu and Kashmir Awami National Conference leadership paid floral tributes to the martyrs of 13th July, emphasizing the enduring significance of their sacrifice in Kashmir's history.

ANC President Begum Shah and Senior Vice President Muzzafar Shah issued statements highlighting the importance of this date and called for its official recognition.

President Begum Shah described the events of 13th July as "a golden chapter of sacrifice that cannot be erased from Kashmir history." She emphasized that the martyrs were not troublemakers, anti-nationals or terrorists, but individuals agitating for basic human rights, including respectable livelihood and decent wages.

"Spilling innocent blood is terrorism but to speak up for one's God-given rights is no crime and has universal appeal," Begum Shah stated.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelShe concluded her tribute with a prayer, saying, "May Allah raise the martyrs of 13th July to the highest echelons of Paradise."

Senior Vice President Muzzafar Shah echoed these sentiments and called on the government to restore the 13th July holiday as a mark of honor and respect to the martyrs.

He asserted that Kashmir would never forget these individuals, describing their supreme sacrifices as "a symbol of modern man's choice to live in a free and equal society where democratic values and principles govern every aspect of the denizens."

Muzzafar Shah reiterated ANC's demand to have the names of 13th July martyrs inscribed in gold at the Balidan Smarak currently under construction in Pratap Park, Lal Chowk.(KNS)