Khan faroz cni

Srinagar, CNI NEWS A group of concerned citizens of the Sikh community today held apress conference in Srinagar to express their gratitude to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor , Shri Manoj Sinha, for considering the request of the Sikh community regarding the proposed construction of a memorial to honour the supreme sacrifice madeby the Sikh community during the Kabali Raid of October 1947.At the beginning, a two-minute silence was observed in solemn remembrance of all those who lost their lives in this Raid.

The citizens sought recognition of the sacrifices of Sikhs from villages across Baramulla, Budgam, Kamraz and Karnah, many of whom laid down their lives while resisting the advancing tribal raiders following the breaching of the first line of defence. The participants recalled that, in several areas, the local population, including Sikhs and members of other communities, became an important second line of resistance against the advancing raiders and their intended movement towards Srinagar. The Sikh community, including women and children, suffered immense loss of life, property and displacement.A poster depicting the sequence of events of the 1947 Raid was unveiled by S. Kirat Singh, DIG (Retd.), and Amir Suhail Wani,symbolising a shared commitment to preserving the historical memory of those tumultuous days.Speaking on the occasion, Commodore DS Sodhi (Retd.), while thanking the Administration, gave a brief account of the role played by Kashmiri in general, and Sikhs in

particular, during the1947 invasion. He recalled that members of different communities stood together in the spirit of Kashmiriyat in the face of violence and devastation.He particularly highlighted the enormous sacrifice of the Sikh community and pointed out that, despite the magnitude of the loss suffered, no memorial has so far been constructed in Kashmir specifically commemorating the Sikh martyrs of the 1947 Raid. He also recalled instances of extraordinary courage and humanity displayed by members of the Muslim community who, despite the

prevailing danger, helped provide dignified funerals to the slain and assisted some Sikh families and individuals in escaping the advancing raiders. These acts, he said, form an equally important part of Kashmir’s shared history and must not be forgotten.S. Kirat Singh, DIG (Retd.), who retains a distinct personal memory of the Raid, looting and arson, shared his recollections of the events that unfolded during those traumatic days. Recounting his eyewitness experiences, he expressed regret that the sacrifices and suffering of the victims remained largely unacknowledged bysuccessive governments.Dr Komal JB Singh, Academic

Scholar and Researcher, who has also documented an account based upon the narratives of survivors of the Kabali Raid, emphasised the importance of preserving those accounts for coming generations. She strongly supported the construction of a memorial befitting the martyrdom of those who sacrificed their lives in defence of their homes and their land.Dr Jagmeet Kaur Bali, Chairperson, All Sikh Minority Employees Association J&K, stated that the sacrifices made by the minority Sikh community during the tragic events of October 1947 must be remembered with dignity and placed appropriately in the history of Kashmir. She emphasised that the request for a dedicated memorial is not a demand of one community alone, but an effort to preserve the collective memory of the people of Kashmir.S. Ajit Singh Mastana, a distinguished author, briefly dwelled upon the resistance offered by the Sikhs of the villages of Ichama and Atina of present district Budgam.At the conclusion of the press conference, the group specifically requested that a memorial be constructed at an appropriate and historically meaningful place. The group appealed to the Administration to implement the demand for a memorial sympathetically and take time-bound action within a defined framework.

The participants emphasised that the proposed memorial should not be viewed merely as a monument to one community. Rather, it should stand as a symbol of Kashmir’s shared suffering, courage, resistance and humanity during the tragic events of 1947, and as areminder to future generations of the human cost of violence and the enduring value of communal solidarity.Members from Srinagar city and various towns and villages ofBudgam and Baramulla participated in the press conference. CNI NEWS