Ashoka Emblem Desecrated At Hazratbal Dargah

Srinagar: A group of mob at Srinagar's revered Hazratbal Dargah vandalized the national Ashoka Emblem inscribed on a newly installed marble stone. The incident occurred on Friday, coinciding with Eid-e-Milad celebrations.

Reports indicate that a crowd, angered by the presence of the national symbol within the shrine's premises, deliberately damaged the emblem.

The marble plaque, which also bears the name of Dr. Darakhshan Andrabi, the Chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, was part of a recent renovation project inaugurated just three days prior on September 3rd. The group reportedly objected to the installation, citing religious prohibitions against idols or national symbols in a place of Islamic worship.

Videos of the vandalism quickly spread across social media platforms, triggering widespread outrage among netizens who condemned the destruction of a national symbol.

During a press conference, the Waqf Board Chairperson, Dr. Darakshan Andrabi, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the security forces to arrest all those responsible for vandalizing the emblem at the Dargah Hazratbal. 

“This incident is very unfortunate. Tarnishing the national emblem is a terrorist attack, and the attackers are the goons of a political party. These people destroyed Kashmir earlier as well, and now they have openly come inside the Dargah Sharif. Our administrator had a narrow escape. The mob attacked him as well… This mob has committed a huge crime by tarnishing the national emblem. 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 said.

Without naming him directly, Dr. Darakhshan Andrabi criticized NC MLA, Tanveer Sadiq, for his objection to the emblem’s installation at the shrine. She stated, “A leader tweeted about it. I don’t think he deserves to be called a leader. These people don’t even know what religion is; they fed militants in their homes.” Andrabi further alleged that the vandalism was carried out by "goons of the ruling party in Jammu and Kashmir."

Earlier, the renovation of the dargah was described as a "historic project" by Dr. Andrabi in a social media post, which was intended to blend traditional Kashmiri art with modernity. 

The Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, congratulated the Waqf Board and highlighted it as a "glorious cultural milestone" achieved with the support of the central government. 

The vandalism of the Ashoka Emblem has ignited widespread outrage online, with many netizens condemning the act as reflective of an "anti-India mentality."

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