MY ROOTS 7

EVENTS OF 1931                                                                                                                        A  polititically awake  group of educated young muslims formed what was nicknamed as the reading room party who proved to be only idealogues  but they helped to  start the rumblings of discord against the Dogras among the youth of the valley.The political stuggle in kashmir valley against the Dogra rule started at this juncture.  ABDULLAH who had recently come with an M Sc Chemisty  from ALIGARH,started  as a teacher  in S.P.high school, and later left the job being more inclined to take  to politics against the  Mahraja,s govt. In company of  MOLVI ABDUL RAHIMand CHOWDRY GH. ABBAS, he started the MUSLIM CONFERENCE as sleeper extension of Muslim league with an agenda of self rule of the majority. It was the period of communal  riots in Mirpur,Bhimber and Kotli area which was crushed by the adminstration  so that the orgy could not spread.  MUSLIM CONFERENCE started  organising anti govt. demonstrations in Srinagar inspite of warnings  and  when thwarted ,their wrath was spent on helpless pandits whose shops and cargoes in their godowns were looted and burnt in Maharaj Gunj in july ’31.Some pundits lost their all. Some rioters were killed in police firing . They were taken in a procession  as martyrs for burial in what is now  called ‘MAZAR I SHOHDA’(martyr’s graveyard) . 

This incident became the focal point in the political awakening of the valley muslim population under the leadership of mainly Sheikh  Abdullah.
The maharaja appointed a commission under headed by Mr. Glancy to put up a report of recommendations on the charter of demands from the leaders of the agitators . The report recommended setting up a prajha sabha with a limited franchise by keeping an eligibility datum leaving most of the population ineligible for filling up of  33  elected members and 42 nominated members (seperate for muslims and hindus)in the total 75 members of the prajha sabha. The authority of nominating the coucil of ministers vested with  the  Maharaja. This step was ,at that time conisdered to be a step forward in their march to rule by the people.

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