‘It Is All Scripted’: Sajad Lone on Omar’s Mazar-e-Shuhada Visit

SRINAGAR: A day after restrictions prevented political gatherings at Mazar-e-Shuhada, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accompanied by senior party leaders, visited the Naqashband Sahib shrine in Srinagar to pay tributes to the martyrs of July 13, 1931.

Omar posted a short video clip on X and wrote, “Paid my respects & offered Fatiha at the graves of the martyrs of 13th July 1931. The unelected government tried to block my way, forcing me to walk from Nawhatta Chowk. They blocked the gate to Naqshband Sb shrine, forcing me to scale a wall. They tried to physically grapple me, but I was not going to be stopped today.”

Paid my respects & offered Fatiha at the graves of the martyrs of 13th July 1931. The unelected government tried to block my way forcing me to walk from Nawhatta chowk. They blocked the gate to Naqshband Sb shrine forcing me to scale a wall. They tried to physically grapple me… pic.twitter.com/IS6rOSwoN4

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) July 14, 2025

In a follow-up post, Omar shared another video and added, “This is the physical grappling I was subjected to, but I am made of sterner stuff & was not to be stopped. I was doing nothing unlawful or illegal. In fact, these ‘protectors of the law’ need to explain under what law they were trying to stop us from offering Fatiha.”

This is the physical grappling I was subjected to but I am made of sterner stuff & was not to be stopped. I was doing nothing unlawful or illegal. In fact these “protectors of the law” need to explain under what law they were trying to stop us from offering Fatiha pic.twitter.com/8Fj1BKNixQ

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) July 14, 2025

Reacting to Omar’s remarks, People’s Conference President and MLA Handwara, Sajad Lone, called the entire sequence “scripted.”

“For a moment I was impressed. But now that you have given a ball-by-ball commentary of your so-called struggle in reaching the Martyrs’ Graveyard — I will bet my life. It was all scripted,” Lone posted on X.

For a moment I was impressed. But now that you have given a ball by ball commentary of your so called struggle in reaching the Martyrs Graveyard — I will bet my life. It was all scripted.

I will still tell you. That the institution of Chief Minister is much bigger than the… https://t.co/qBTaHBKi1Z

— Sajad Lone (@sajadlone) July 14, 2025

He added that the Chief Minister should step down and offered to follow suit.

“I still tell you, the institution of Chief Minister is much bigger than the person holding the office. Please save this institution. Please step down. I will be the first person to follow you,” he wrote.

Lone further said that any attempt by security personnel to stop or grapple with a sitting Chief Minister was humiliating for everyone.

“That a security person will try to grapple or stop a Chief Minister is a humiliation for all of us. Don’t set a precedent which others will have to follow — a precedent of humiliation.”

Without naming anyone, Sajad Lone indirectly referred to Iltija Mufti, who was allowed to visit the site a day earlier, and Omar Abdullah.

“These choreographed events are too predictable. Stop insulting the intelligence of the common Kashmiri. There are two King’s parties in Kashmir. One gets to have dramatic access a day before 13 July and the second one gets access a day after 13 July. Truly magical,” he added.

Meanwhile, senior JKNC leader Nasir Lone responded to Sajad Lone’s remarks, saying, “For a moment, I thought Sajad sb was sincere — that he would stand up to condemn the manhandling of an elected Chief Minister and demand accountability from the LG. But instead, he chose to question the victim, not the system. When will you stand against Delhi and not Kashmiris?” he posted on X.

For a moment, I thought Sajad sb was sincere, that he would stand up to condemn the manhandling of an elected Chief Minister and demand accountability from the LG.
But instead, he chose to question the victim, not the system.
When will you stand against Delhi and not Kashmiris? https://t.co/h90iUZFZnQ

— Nasir Lone (@LoneNasir_) July 14, 2025