Kashmir parties slam National Emblem’s use on Hazratbal plaque

Kashmir-based political parties criticised the use of the National Emblem on a renovation plaque by the Waqf Board at Srinagar’s Hazratbal shrine, some calling for the dismissal of Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board chairperson Darakshan Andrabi over the incident.

While Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the National Emblem is meant for government functions, not religious institutions, former CM Mehbooba Mufti termed the installation blasphemous. Some religious leaders argued that it was against the teachings of Islam.

Also read: National Emblem only for govt functions: J-K CM Omar on vandalism at Srinagar’s Hazratbal shrine

The inclusion of the National Emblem on the renovation plaque at the Hazratbal mosque here sparked a huge row that was followed by the plaque being broken and removed by unidentified people on Friday, right after congregational prayers.

In response to the act, the chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board also called for legal action, including the use of the Public Safety Act (PSA), against those who removed the emblem.

Police on Saturday registered a case on charges of breach of peace, rioting and criminal conspiracy against unidentified persons in connection with the incident.

The J-K unit of the BJP, however, demanded exemplary action not just against the perpetrators of the vandalism of the plaque but also those who acted “behind the scenes” to deface the Ashoka Stambh, pointing fingers at the National Conference leaders.

CM Abdullah on Saturday said the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board should apologise for the “mistake” that has hurt religious sentiments.

“First, the question arises whether the national emblem should have been used on this stone or not. I have never seen an emblem being used in this way in any religious place,” Abdullah told reporters while visiting flood-affected areas here.

“Mosques, shrines, temples and gurdwaras are not government institutions. These are religious institutions and government emblems are not used in religious institutions,” he said.

The ruling National Conference (NC) on Saturday demanded the registration of a criminal case against her for “violating” the State Emblem of India Act.

The NC said misusing the National Emblem at a shrine violates the State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005, and “it insults India’s secular fabric”.

“JKNC demands her (Andrabi) immediate dismissal and registration of a criminal case for violating the State Emblem of India Act,” the party said.  “When the Prime Minister & Lieutenant Governor don’t use the State Emblem for religious functions, why should Ms Andrabi?” it posted on X.

The party shared a photograph showing Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurating a CCTV surveillance system with an integrated command and control centre at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu. The inauguration plaque there does not include the national emblem embossed on it.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti described the installation as an “act of blasphemy”.

“The move has deeply hurt the religious feelings of Muslims and those responsible should be booked under the law. FIR should be registered under Section 295-A (IPC), for blasphemy against her (Andrabi) and those who placed the plaque. This is an act of blasphemy,” Mufti told reporters here.

The former CM said the Waqf Board should be immediately disbanded and suspended, and all officers, including its head, should be removed from the board.

“I request (chief minister) Omar Abdullah that heads must roll because how did the Waqf allow something which is considered shirk (act of associating partners with God) in our religion,” she added.

Mehbboba said instead of taking action against those who defaced the emblem out of concern for “religious sentiment”, the government should lodge an FIR against the Waqf Board chairperson and its members who “allowed” such an act.

“Hazratbal is a religious place, not a venue for coronation or political symbolism. People were not against the emblem. They were against idol worship. They did not try to destroy the emblem, but the idol,” she added.

She hit out at the Waqf Board chairperson and said, “The Waqf head is from the BJP. We also ran Waqf in our times, but we did not make it a party board. Today, it is run by the BJP, which is anti-Muslim,” Mufti said.

She appealed to the people not to damage property, saying they should not allow the administration or police an opportunity to jail them.

The BJP slammed the defacement of the plaque, claiming that it was installed outside the sanctum sanctorum of the mosque and the incident was an attempt to revive “terrorism and separatism” in the Valley.

“The Hazratbal incident, a very sensitive issue, is a cause of concern. A National Conference legislator tweeted about the plaque containing the Ashoka Stambh and the video of its vandalism went viral, hurting the sentiments of the people of the country,” BJP chief spokesperson Sunil Sethi told a press conference here.

Asserting that the National Emblem is a mark of respect for the people of all faiths, he said the attack was also against the “Kashmir’s Sufi culture which teaches tolerance” and there was resentment among the people in the valley against the incident.

He said that the party demands that “the action should not be limited to only those who vandalised the plaque” but also the “hands that worked behind the scenes.”

“It was a deliberate act and an attempt to revive terrorism and separatism in Kashmir… National Conference made an attempt to provoke religious sentiments of the people, and in fact, not only an attempt, post this incident, their leaders, including Srinagar MP (Aga Syed) Ruhullah Mehdi, made such remarks which showed that it was part of a concerted effort,” Sethi said.

The BJP leader said there is rage in the whole country against the incident and demanded an investigation into the political connections of the perpetrators.

“Pakistan and its intelligence agency, ISI, will try to take advantage of the incident but the people of Kashmir have moved forward, which was evident when they stood up against innocent killings in Pahalgam (in April). They know Pahalgam (incident) was the handiwork of Pakistan and it dealt a deadly blow to tourism,” he said, adding such incidents will not help the revival of tourism.

Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), an amalgam of several religious bodies in Jammu and Kashmir, said “installation of figures and symbols” was against the teachings of Islam.

The MMU, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is also the chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, asked the J-K Waqf Board to uphold Islamic tradition, avoid harsh measures, including the registration of FIR, against worshippers and resolve matters of religion through understanding and dialogue.

The MMU stressed that Islam is explicit in its teachings that no plaques, emblems, figures, or symbols are permitted in mosques or shrines.

“Even when the Hazratbal shrine was rebuilt in the past, no plaques or foundation stones were placed, out of respect for the injunctions of Shari’ah and tradition,” it said. “To introduce them now sets a dangerous and unnecessary precedent.”

Asserting that the Hazratbal shrine, which houses the relic of Prophet Mohammad, is not merely a structure, but the spiritual heart of the Muslims of J-K, the MMU said it is “bound to our faith and identity through centuries of devotion”.

“Any alteration that undermines its sanctity deeply pains the devotional sentiments attached to it,” the MMU added.

It reminded the Waqf Board that such acts are “inconsistent” with the responsibility entrusted to it under Muslim law and custom.

“Filing FIRs against worshippers who protested from the depths of their faith is unjustified and unwarranted,” it added.

People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone said the use of the National Emblem on the renovation plaque at the shrine was “regrettable”.

“The sequence of events at the Hazratbal shrine is unfortunate. Using an emblem inside a revered religious shrine is regrettable,” Lone said on X, adding that police should “desist from registering” an FIR.

“And the political class may please use caution in their utterances. Any operational measures will eventually target non-leaders,” he added.