Omar slams emblem at religious place, seeks Waqf apology

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday questioned the use of the national emblem on a renovation plaque by the Waqf Board at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar, asserting that the symbol was meant for government functions and not religious institutions. The issue snowballed into a major political controversy in the Valley and triggered outrage.

Omar said the Waqf Board should apologise for the “mistake” that had hurt religious sentiments. On Friday, protests had erupted inside the shrine with devotees removing the Ashoka emblem engraved on the plaque, which was installed by the Waqf Board and inaugurated by its chairperson and BJP leader Darakhshan Andrabi this week.

“The question is whether the plaque should have had an emblem or not. I have never seen such an emblem being used in any religious institution or function,” Omar told reporters in south Kashmir.

The Chief Minister said the Hazratbal shrine was given “its form” by his grandfather and NC founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah. “Tell me, did he put a plaque somewhere? Even today, people remember his work. There is no need to put a plaque. If the work is good, people recognise it,” he said.

Andrabi had termed the vandalism at the shrine a “terror act”, demanding that the Public Safety Act (PSA) be slapped against those responsible. Asked about the demand for slapping the PSA, the Chief Minister said, “What is the use of this threat? People’s sentiments were hurt; at least, apologise for that; say we made a mistake, the emblem should not have been on the plaque,” Omar said.

“Mosques, temples, gurdwaras and other shrines are not government institutions; these are religious institutions. Government emblems are not used in religious institutions,” Omar said.

The J&K Police have registered an FIR in the incident.