THB NATIONAL QUESTION IN KASHMIR 55 demonstration that Sheikh Abdullah was introduced to the people by Moulvi Mohammad Yusuf Shah (interview with Pir Abdul Ahad Maulana Masoodi, and Sheikh Mohaminad Abdullah) In these meeting Sheikh Abdullah used to speak about the greatness of Quran, Islam as well as representative democracy {Interview with Pir Abdul Ahad, 20 June 1978). During this time when one such meeting was going on at Khanqah i-Mualla that Abdul Quadir made his history-making speech. 21 Abdul Qadir (an attendant of a British officer stationed at Peshawar) came to the political scene of Kashmir during a meeting held at Khanqah-i-Mualla (on 21 June 1931). "It was almost at the end of the meeting that this man", according to Sheikh Abdullah, "came to the dais and requested permission to make a brief speech In his fiery speech he exhorted people to rise from the thraldom of passivity to fight for their rights' while saying "if we do not have machine guns there are enough stones and brickbats to reply" (Interview with Sheikh Abdullah, Maulana Masoodi, Pir Abdul Ahad). The CID version of Abdul Quadir's speech was : "Muslim brothers—the time has come when you must retaliate with full strength... You stand on your feet and fight against tyranny. Pointing towards Raajmahal, he said, to pay them in their own words." (cited in Rashid Tasir 'Historical Background of 13th July 1931', Studies in Kashmir Council of Research, Special Number Vol. Ill, November, 1978, p 87) According to an eyewitness "nobody was going to follow him, but people sympathised with what he said'* (Interview with Maulana Sayed Massoodi', 11 June 1978, Srinagar). Thus, none but the Maharaja took Abdul Quadir seriously by arresting him, which caused a great stir and tension in the valley, Abdul Quadir became a legendry hero of the people overnight, leading to brutal firing on unarmed masses on 13 July 1931 at Central Jail Srinagar (where they had thronged to Witness his trial). From here onwards thus this day of 13th July is celebrated as Martyrs Day in Jammu and Kashmir. Thus, a small period of 23 days shook the foundations of the 83 years' old rule of the Dogra monarchy. 22 Al Jamait (Editorial), Delhi, 20 August 1931. 23 Al'Jamait Delhi, 30 August, 1931. 24 Letter from Tej Bahadur Sapru to Kashyap Bandhu, Albert Road Allahabad, dated 5 May 1934,* Sapru Papers, Nehru Memorial'Library, Teen Murti, New Delhi. 25 Memorial presented to the Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir by Kashyap Bandhu, Sapru Papers, ibid. 26 The Statesman, 31 October, 1931, p 9. 27 Seefn.2. 28 Cited in Hafiz Mohammad Ismail, Personal Diary 1907-1950 (Unpublished Manuscript), 7 August. 1933. 29 The Alfazal, Qadian, 1 September, 1931, p 7 30 Al Jamiat (Delhi), 13 August, 1931, p 5. 31 G G Kotovsky, "The Rise of Anti-Imperialist Movement and the Struggle for a United Front (1928-1939)", in K Antonova, G. Bongard-Levin, Kotovsky, A History of India, Moscow, Progress Publishers 1978, Book 2, p 197. 32 "But", adds Prof. Irfan Habib, "it was the anti-imperialist movement drawing the masses of Indian people in the struggle against British rule, that made loyalty to India supreme over all other territorial loyalties in the popular consciousness." Irfan ttabib, "Emergence of Nationalities", in K Mathew Kurian and P N Varughese (ed), Centre-State Relations Delhi Macmillan, 1981, p 31. 33 K.K Mishra, "Linguistic Nationalities of India' Ibid p 43.