Political Furore In Kashmir As Protestors Raze Ashoka Chakra At Hazratbal Shrine

A political storm roiled Kashmir as protests emerged over the installation of national emblem Ashoka Chakra as part of the name plaque of new structure of Hazratbal shrine complex, which was inaugurated on Thursday. The shrine houses the holy relic of Prophet Muhammad and devotees in thousands thronged the mosque to offer Friday prayers on the occasion of Eid-e-Milad-un- Nabi, birthday of Prophet Muhammad .

After a group of people broke the national emblem at the Srinagar mosque, National Conference (NC) said that its installation was aimed at promoting “idol worship”. This came on the day Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, protested the decision of the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to keep the holiday of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi on Friday instead of Saturday, when it was to be celebrated in accordance with the sighting of the crescent moon. The day falls on the 12th of Rabi-Al-Awwal, third month of the Islamic lunar calendar, which is Saturday.

In a post on X, NC Chief Spokesperson and MLA Zadibal, Tanvir Sadiq, said, “I am 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.”

Sadiq said that there were protests at the shrine after Ashok Chakra was placed as part of the inauguration plaque of new structure of Hazratbal shrine complex on Thursday. Videos of people raising religious slogans went viral as the people were seen removing the national emblem using stones. “ This is unacceptable, this shouldn’t have happened. The building was inaugurated yesterday by Waqf board and the Ashok Chakra has been placed there. This has hurt the sentiments of people. The four lions in the Ashok Chakra represent a religious symbol," said Sadiq.

Former Head of the Department of Jammu University’s Department of Buddhist Studies, R N Singh, said that the Ashoka Chakra was adopted as national emblem to honor emperor Ashoka, who was a follower of Buddhism. “The four lions represent Buddha in the Ashoka Chakra, manifesting him as a roaring epitome. These got adopted from Sarnath where Buddha delivered his first sermon,” he said.

Talking to reporters, senior BJP leader and Chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, Darakhshan Andrabi, said that a strong action should be taken against those who have broken the national emblem with stones. She has sought slapping of the Public Safety Act (PSA) on the people who were involved in the act.

Addressing a press conference, Darakhshan Andrabi said that this was a blow not only on the stone, it was on the heart of Hazratbal. "These are goons sent by politicians who cannot tolerate faith being celebrated without them. Find them, put a PSA on them, and if FIR is not lodged, I will sit on hunger strike."

The row came as the people had assembled in large numbers to offer Friday prayers at the shrine as part of the ongoing Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi celebrations. Former chief minister and NC President Farooq Abdullah attended the Friday prayers at the shrine earlier in the day. The Hazratbal constituency has traditionally remained a bastion of NC and was won by the Salman Ali Sagar in the 2024 assembly elections.

The act drew condemnation from several BJP leaders, with some saying that the “fundamentalist elements were trying to disturb peace in the Kashmir Valley.” BJP’s Kashmiri Pandit leader, Ashwani Chrungoo, said that the action was uncalled for. “The Khanqah shrine which is an important center of Muslims is a functional temple. The Kashmiri Pandit community, have a great reverence for the shrine, which is the seat of Goddess Kali. Also in Pahalgam area a mosque has been built on the ruins of a temple,” he said.

The row came even as the NC’s coalition partner, Congress in Jammu and Kashmir, slammed the BJP for hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims by denying holidays on the designated days. “It shows the designs of the BJP which is hell bent on disturbing the peaceful atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir,” said senior Congress leader, G N Monga, in his reaction over not declaring the holiday of Eid-e-Milad on the designated day in accordance with the religious practices that were observed prior to the revocation of Article 370.