Srinagar, Sep 17: A group of Sikh citizens on Thursday urged the Jammu and Kashmir Government to take time-bound steps towards constructing a dedicated memorial for Sikh martyrs of the 1947 tribal raid, including identifying a suitable historical site for the project.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, the group welcomed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s consideration of the community’s demand and urged the administration to move the proposal forward within a defined timeframe.
Commodore D.S. Sodhi (Retd.) said no memorial had so far been constructed in Kashmir specifically commemorating Sikh victims of the 1947 raid, despite the losses suffered by the community during the events.
The participants recalled the sacrifices of Sikhs from villages across Baramulla, Budgam, Kamraz and Karnah, saying many were killed while resisting advancing tribal raiders after the first line of defence was breached.
They said the local population, including Sikhs and members of other communities, formed a second line of resistance against the raiders as they advanced towards Srinagar.
The group said the proposed memorial should document the sacrifices, suffering and displacement of Sikh families during the October 1947 events, while preserving the history of resistance and communal solidarity during the invasion.
They urged the government to identify an appropriate historical location and set a clear timeline for implementing the memorial project.
