Ashoka Plaque Vandalised at Hazratbal

SRINAGAR: Amind chants of 'God is great', an irate crowd on Friday vandalised the Ashoka Emblem inscribed on a newly installed black marble plague during Eid Milad-un-Nabi celebrations at Srinagar’s lakeside Hazratbal Shrine, citing its presence as contrary to Islamic monotheism (Tawheed).

The devotees, viewing the emblem as an idol-like image, smashed the left corner of the plaque, which was part of a renovation project’s foundation stone inaugurated two days prior by Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board chairperson Dr. Darakhshan Andrabi.

As viral videos of the incident amplified the controversy, Andrabi at a hurriedly called press conference here termed the incident as a “heart-wrenching” act and a “terrorist attack."

She said, "It is like a cloudburst that broke on me after I saw the emblem being broken. Such acts will not be tolerated under any circumstances.”

Demanding immediate arrests, she announced that the Waqf Board would file an FIR against the perpetrators. She also urged action against National Conference ((NC) MLA Tanvir Sadiq for his critical remarks on 'X', where he stated that placing a sculpted figure at Hazratbal violated Islamic principles of Tawheed.

Sadiq, who is also the chief spokesperson of the ruling NC had in his post said, "I'm not a religious scholar but, in Islam, idol worship is strictly forbidden—the gravest of sins. The foundation of our faith is Tawheed.

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."

Late Friday, the NC issued a statement, expressing dismay over the use of pictorial depictions of living beings inside the revered Hazratbal shrine. The statement said, "The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference has always upheld the guiding principle of Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah: “Sher-i-Kashmir ka kya irshaad – Hindu, Muslim, Sikh Ittihaad.” Unity, mutual respect, and dignity for all faiths remain central to our ideology."

It added, "It is, therefore, a matter of grave concern that practices contrary to the fundamental principles of Islam, such as the use of pictorial or symbolic depictions of living beings, are being introduced inside the sacred Hazratbal shrine - the spiritual heart of our people where thousands gather every day for prayers".

The statement asserted, "In Islam, the principle of Tawheed clearly prohibits such representations. For devotees, this is not a small matter but a direct affront to their deeply held religious sentiments".

The NC further stated, "The Waqf is not the personal estate of any individual. It is a trust run on the contributions and donations of ordinary Muslims, and it must be managed in line with their faith and traditions. Yet we now witness an unelected individual, with no mandate from the people of Jammu and Kashmir, crowning herself inside holy shrines - the very places where Dastaar Bandi, a long held religious cultural practice was banned. This act not only disrespects the sanctity of our shrines but also mocks the very principles of accountability and humility that Islam upholds."

The statement said, "Even more disturbing is that instead of offering an apology to the people for hurting their religious sentiments - which under Indian law itself constitutes an offence - threats are being issued of arrests under the PSA. Is this the future of Waqf management in Jammu and Kashmir - run not with respect for faith and community, but with arrogance, spectacle, and fear? Our shrines are places of faith, humility, and unity. They cannot be turned into platforms for personal glorification."