Mamata: What’s wrong with visiting martyrs’ graveyard?
Times of India | 15 July 2025
Kolkata: CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday extended support to her Jammu & Kashmir counterpart Omar Abdullah for his defiant move against the Centre on Martyrs' Day, questioning why a democratically elected chief minister would not be allowed the freedom to visit a graveyard.
"What is wrong in visiting the graveyard of martyrs? This is not only unfortunate, it also snatches the democratic right of a citizen. What happened this morning to the elected Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is unacceptable. Shocking. Shameful," Banerjee wrote on X.
In a widely circulated video, Omar was seen marching toward Naqshband Sahib graveyard along with his cabinet ministers, surrounded by police and security personnel. As the gate appeared to be locked, he was seen scaling the wall to enter.
Last week, Banerjee met Omar at Nabanna and said Bengal was ready to support Kashmir "in every way possible", adding that she would visit the UT after Durga Puja. Urging tourists from Bengal to go to J&K, she had said: "There is nothing to fear.