Ashoka Emblem At J&K's Hazratbal Shrine Damaged, BJP Says "Terrorist Act"

Armed with stones and shouting slogans, angry worshippers at Jammu and Kashmir's Hazratbal shrine defiled the national emblem on a plaque placed outside the main prayer room.

The attack on the plaque started a political war of words, with BJP leader and chairperson of the J&K Waqf Board Darakhshan Andrabi demanding stringent action against those who tried to "obliterate" the national emblem. "It was not just an act to smash a stone, but a blow to the hearts of devotees and to the followers of the Constitution," she said.

She termed it a terrorist attack and said that one of her party's administrators narrowly escaped being injured. "They have damaged the dignity of the dargah, and once they are identified, they will be banned from entering the dargah for life, and an FIR will be filed against them," she added.

Blaming the ruling National Conference's (NC) activists for indulging in the act, Ms Andrabi said the party is back to its "old games of stone pelting". "They had promised in their manifesto that they would get back the Waqf Board by removing me. They could not do that, and now they are taking law and order into their hands," she claimed.

"Don't they carry currency notes in their pockets bearing the national emblem? Haven't they sworn allegiance to the national emblem before coming to power in J&K?" she further asked.

NC chief spokesperson and Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq said Ms Andrabi should feel ashamed for not respecting religious sentiments. "As per our 'Tawheed' (Islamic concept of monotheism), we cannot place a sculpture inside any religious place. She should know this. It is not right to hurt religious sentiments. No sculpture should be present inside a dargah. This is not a government building, this is a religious place," he said.

Earlier this week, the Waqf board had formally inaugurated the grandly decorated and renovated interior of the Hazratbal shrine after spending crores of rupees. Ms Andrabi had said during the inaugural function that the Waqf board had managed all funds spent on the renovation/decoration without borrowing anything from any quarter.

On the occasion of the 'Eid-e-Milad' (Birthday of the Prophet) on Friday, the year's largest gathering of devout Muslims from all over the Valley is gathering at the Hazratbal shrine to spend the night in prayer and penance.