More than 50 detained for vandalization of Ashoka emblem at Hazratbal
Various J-K party leaders condemned the act of placing the national emblem in a religious site and sought action against a BJP-appointed Waqf Board chief
More than 50 people have been detained in connection with the vandalization of a plaque with the Ashoka emblem at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar.
Police have intensified searches for those involved in the incident, officials said on Sunday (September 7). Based on the CCTV footage obtained from the scene, police have detained more than 50 people for questioning.
Placing the national emblem inside the shrine attracted controversy earlier this week as devotees objected to the move, claiming it was against Islamic principles.
The emblem was vandalised on Friday, a day after it was placed inside the shrine. According to officials, police reviewed CCTV footage of the incident, which occurred after the Friday congregational prayers.
"No one has been formally arrested so far, but some people are being questioned," a senior police official said.
The official said, "As per law, actions will also be taken against the women who are involved in the plaque vandalization. However, any minor found involved in the incident will not be proceeded against."
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Darakhshan Andrabi at the centre of controversy
A huge controversy erupted in Kashmir after the plaque with the Ashoka emblem was vandalised in the Hazratbal shrine on Friday, with political parties accusing Waqf Board chief Darakhshan Andrabi of hurting religious sentiments by using the national emblem in the mosque.
They demanded the registration of a criminal case and her immediate removal from her post. Meanwhile, Andrabi, a BJP appointee, called for legal action, including charging the "hooligans" under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), for vandalising the emblem.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the Waqf Board should apologise for the "mistake", asserting that the national emblem is meant for government functions, not religious institutions.
Leaders of NC, PDP and the CPI(M) said the use of the Ashoka emblem in the mosque was "provocative" and blasphemous. Meanwhile, the BJP slammed the defacement of the plaque, claiming the incident was an attempt to revive terrorism and separatism in the Valley.
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Ashoka emblem inside Hazratbal shrine
The plaque was placed inside the Hazratbal shrine, which houses a relic of Prophet Muhammad, on Thursday, sparking outrage among devotees. They were upset and said that placing any figure or symbol inside a mosque is against the Islamic principle of monotheism.
The plaque was subsequently vandalised and removed by unidentified individuals after Friday prayers, prompting the police to register a case.
"I have never seen an emblem being used in this way in any religious place. Mosques, shrines, temples and gurudwaras are not government institutions. These are religious institutions and government emblems are not used in religious institutions," Abdullah said.
(With agency inputs)