Srinagar, Sep 7: Even as J&K Police remains silent on investigations and purported detentions after the national emblem was vandalized by the religious followers at the famous Hazratbal Shrine, Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi claimed that around 30 people have been taken into custody. The controversy has taken an ugly shape as it has snowballed into two points of views – National sentiments versus religious sentiments.
Reacting sharply, Waqf Board chairperson Dr Darakhshan Andrabi called the protestors “terrorists” and demanded their detention under the PSA for insulting the national sentiments.
The controversy has since snowballed into a political storm. Opposition parties demanded Andrabi’s apology for “hurting religious sentiments” and called for legal action against her. Former CM Omar Abdullah said the emblem should not have been placed at a religious site, while BJP leaders rallied to Andrabi’s defence.
Police had filed an FIR at Nigeen Police Station on Friday, hours after a group of people who vendalised the emblem sculpted on an renovation inaugural plaque in the Hazratbal premises. The FIR invokes multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including disturbing a lawful religious assembly, rioting, intentional insult to provoke breach of peace, mischief causing property damage, promoting enmity between groups, and criminal conspiracy. Provisions of the Prevention of Insults to the National Honour Act were also added for defacing the Ashoka Emblem.
The NC MLAs held a joint press conference at party headquarters here and said that Ashok Chakra emblem of the country is being respected by every citizen irrespective of their religion. “But it is also important that if anyone misuses this emblem, or places it in a place where it should not be placed, there should be action against that person as well,” NC chief spokesperson and MLA Zadibal said.
He said that the party condemns the incident that took place at Dargah Hazratbal on Friday. “Because violence has never been accepted by the National Conference, nor has it ever been supported..
He said the Waqf Board Chairperson hurt the religious sentiments of Muslim population. “She is threatening people with FIR and PSA, I think it is completely wrong. She should not have done it, we condemn it,” Sadiq said.
The NC MLAs said that they will send a letter to the Speaker of the J&K Legislative Assembly and ask for a constitution of a House Committee to probe the utilisation of funds by Waqf Board from 2019. “We will explore if there is any possibility in which we can form a House Committee and whatever bungling has happened in Waqf since 2019 should be exposed,” he said.
Mehdi expressed anguish, saying he was “disheartened” to learn about nearly thirty detentions. “I strongly condemn this act of operational retribution at a time when statesmanship demanded reconciliation and empathy,” he said, adding that the issue was being distorted into “a twisted litmus test for nationalism.”
The Police has not confirmed any arrests. Former Srinagar Mayor Junaid Mattu also said “nearly 30 people have been detained” and termed the handling of the issue “ham-handed.” He urged their release, arguing that the “vandalism” was a consequence of the “deliberate provocation of installing a state emblem inside a mosque.”
