Kashmir sees political fight over defacing of National Emblem in Hazratbal shrine & religious holiday

SRINAGAR: Unidentified worshippers defaced the inauguration plaque bearing the National Emblem of India at Srinagar’s Hazratbal Shrine after Friday prayers, leading to J&K Waqf Board chairperson and BJP politician Darakhshan Andrabi blaming National Conference for “defacing the plaque and removing the emblem”.

Politically, the Valley had already been tense since Friday morning after the LG-led J&K administration had drawn sharp criticism from politicians and religious clerics for failing to reschedule the Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi holiday to Saturday, in line with the lunar calendar. Instead, the LG-led administration observed a public holiday on account of Eid-e-Milad on Friday, a day earlier than the actual date of commencement of Eid-e-Milad, marking the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad.


Andrabi responded from the shrine itself, holding a press conference on Friday evening where she said, “Those who broke the emblem at Hazratbal Dargah should be booked under the PSA. It is like a cloudburst that broke on me after I saw the emblem being broken.” She also asked police and waqf officials to bodily search the MLA if and when he visits the shrine “so that there are no currency notes in his pocket (because they bear the National Emblem). Otherwise, if he has, then that will be ‘makroh (disapproved of but not strictly forbidden)…’”.

The plaque had been installed by the J&K Waqf Board to mark the reconstruction and redevelopment of the shrine, inaugurated on Sept 3. Andrabi had already faced muted criticism on social media for allowing the National Emblem-bearing plaque inside the shrine.

NC chief spokesperson and party legislator Tanvir Sadiq said idol worship is strictly forbidden in Islam. “The foundation of our faith is Tawheed (Islamic monotheism). Placing a sculpted figure at the revered Hazratbal Dargah goes against this very belief. Sacred spaces must reflect only the purity of Tawheed, nothing else,” Sadiq said.

NC MP from Srinagar Aga Ruhullah Mehdi said, “A sacred place that has stood for centuries needs no one’s nameplate for legitimacy. People were rightly offended by this dangerous attempt to play with religious sensitivities for self-glorification," Mehdi said. He said Hazratbal has seen reconstructions before, but never were such means used to claim credit. “Any talk of using PSA in this case only adds insult to injury. It is foolish, unacceptable, and an assault on people’s attachment to their beloved shrine."

PDP representative Iltija Mufti reacted sharply to Andrabi's statement, saying that “labelling Kashmiris as ‘terrorists’ just because they expressed their anger at something which hurt their religious sentiments, and asking police to slap them with PSA, reflects BJPs punitive and communal mindset.” She added: “The waqf board should certainly have been more mindful & sensitive. It seems that Muslims are being deliberately being provoked.”

J&K minister Sakina Itoo said it was unjust that Eid-e-Milad was not observed as a holiday on the correct date in J&K. “What does ‘subject to appearance of the Moon’ mean if it is not followed? Despite repeated requests from the elected govt to shift the holiday, no action has been taken,” she said. “This is playing with the emotions of the people,” she added.

CM Omar Abdullah joined her, stating that “the calendar printed by the govt press is very clear — “Subject to the appearance of the Moon”. It means that the holiday is subject to change depending upon the Moon being sighted. The deliberate decision by the unelected govt to not shift the holiday is inconsiderate and designed to hurt the sentiments of the people.” Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also condemned the move.
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