The Pune chapter of Panun Kashmir,a frontal organisation of exiled Kashmiri migrants,will observe Martyrs Day on Tuesday to pay homage to those who were killed by militants in the Kashmir Valley in the last 20 years of insurgency. Co-ordinator of the Pune chapter of Panun Kashmir Rohit Bhat told a news conference that observing the Martyrs Day has become more important in the present circumstances prevailing in the Kashmir Valley where scores of people were dying every day in the ongoing violence. Panun Kashmir will observe the day on September 14 at Rani Lakshmibai Udyan,M G Road,Camp,by taking out a peace procession and paying homage to all those who were martyred in Kashmir upholding the constitutional ethos. We will pay homage to those who were killed for bieng Indians and patriots,'' he said. Martyrs day this year has a special significance for us,because of the crisis - like the situation prevailing in Kashmir where every effort is being made by anti- national and separatist forces to snatch away Kashmir from India. The onus to prevent and protect the Indian identity of Kashmir falls on every right thinking person of our country. The militancy and terrorism of 1989-1990 resulted in the forced exodus and genocide of several lakhs of Kashmiri Hindus to different parts of the country,reducing them to the humiliating status of living in exile as refugees in their own country, said Bhat. Martyrs Day is being observed to mark the death anniversary of Tikalal Taploo who was gunned down by militants in 1989. After that a succession of deaths followed. Many of our nationalist brothers and sisters sacrificed their lives for the cause dear to them India. Thereafter,we continue to bow our heads in reverence to these martyrs,and offer our homage year after year remembering their supreme sacrifices. The message of the day should be loud and clear that J&K is an integral part of India and that the Indian nation has paid a huge price particularly in terms of human and material resources to preserve the unity and integrity of the country.'' Bhat said observing the martyrs day will be a big blow to the efforts of those who question the accession of Kashmir with India.
