Srinagar, July 13 : Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday imposed restrictions on the movement of two former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti to stop them from paying homage to 22 Kashmiri people who were killed by the army of a Dogra ruler on this day in 1931.National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah set out from his Gupkar home on foot to reach the party office after police allegedly denied him security.In a series of tweets Omar alleged that Jammu and Kashmir Police denied him his security escort vehicles and ITBP cover to visit the party headquarters. Omar also alleged that senior party leaders were stopped by police from coming to the office.Police did not respond to Omar’s allegations immediately.After attending a function at party headquarters, Omar said he set out of his home and walked to reach the office to pay homage to the martyrs of July 13, 1931.“If police repeated and did the same, I would have no choice but to take similar steps,” he told reporters.In a question that on July 13 it was being observed as a state holiday, Omar said the governments did change and their decisions also change.”Today this holiday has been cancelled and another declared..this will change. Like they (government) changed the several holidays by using the pen and declared several.. similarly the new government will come and do the same”, he said.PDP chief and former chief minister Mehhbooba Mufti was placed under house detention at her Khimber residence on the outskirts of Srinagar.She also posted a video on social media showing the main gate of her house locked and an unknown policeman telling her that they have orders from higher-ups.Mufti said she wanted to visit Martyr’s graveyard in the Nowhatta area of downtown Srinagar.“..This at a time when GOI has used its tall claims of normalcy in SC to justify an act of betrayal- the illegal abrogation of Article 370. BJPs own heroes Vir Sarvarkar, Shyama Prasad Mukheriji ,Gowalkar & Godse who spread hatred & divison can’t be forced on us. For us those who sacrificed their lives for democracy to take root in J&K will always be admired for their act of courage. We won’t allow you to distort our history or forget our heroes. On the occasion of Martyrs day, I salute their courage for valiantly fighting against despots to the end,” she tweeted.The erstwhile state used to observe July 13 as ‘Martyrs Day’ to mark the killing of 22 Kashmiri people who were shot dead by the army of a Dogra ruler on this day in 1931. Since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, no function has been allowed to commemorate the Martyrs’ Day.While, the erstwhile state of J&K used to observe ‘Martyrs’ Day’ on July 13 as a state holiday and a grand official function used to be held every year on this day where the chief minister or the governor would be the chief guest, Kashmiri separatists used to call for a shutdown.After the abrogation of Article 370, J&K dropped the ‘Martyrs’ Day’ from the list of gazetted holidays in 2020.There were no restrictions in and around the martyrs graveyard in the old city. However, police were deployed in large numbers in the area.Peoples Conference leader Khurshid Alam alleged that he along with other leaders of the party were detained and denied the opportunity to lead a peaceful gathering of party leaders and workers to offer prayers and pay tributes to the martyrs at the martyrs’ graveyard.Apni Party chief Altaf Bukahri said “like every other common person, we were also not allowed to go to martyrs graveyard to pay homage to July 1931 martyrs.”(UNI)