Chaos at Hazratbal Shrine as group of people damage plaque with emblem; all involved identified

On Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, chaos erupted at Srinagar’s revered Hazratbal Shrine, a prominent Muslim spiritual site. The unrest stemmed from a newly installed marble plaque, part of the shrine’s recent renovation, which bore an engraving of the Ashoka Pillar, India’s national emblem. Some locals, perceiving the emblem as resembling a statue, deemed its placement inside the mosque a violation of Islamic principles, sparking outrage. Initially, a group of men vandalised the plaque, followed by a large group of women protestors who further damaged it, intensifying the chaos.

In an interview with WION, Dr Darakhshan Andrabi, chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, strongly condemned the vandalism of a marble plaque bearing the Ashoka Pillar at Hazratbal Shrine. She called for stringent action under the Public Safety Act (PSA) against those who damaged the plaque, asserting that their actions constituted a direct disrespect to India’s National Emblem and an assault on the Constitution.

“This is a simple case of politics. Since the day we inaugurated the Shrine, everyone has been talking about it. We kept the inauguration very apolitical, but these terrorists couldn't sleep for three days after the inauguration. They thought of how to create ruckus here. They were planning it already and they chose today as we celebrate Eid Milad. I call it a terror act. They have committed a national crime. We want action against all of them. We trust our police force to slap PSA against all these terrorists. They should not be spared,” said Andrabi.

The National Conference issued a statement addressing the protests at Hazratbal Shrine, emphasising that Islamic teachings strictly prohibit idol worship, considering it a grave sin. The party highlighted that the placement of the Ashoka Pillar emblem on the shrine’s marble plaque was perceived by some as conflicting with these religious principles, fueling the unrest. ''Any sculpture on a religious place is against Islam. The foundation of our faith is Tawheed. If she did not think about that, other members should have thought about it. There is no scope for violence. VC should call these people and make them understand and accept the mistake," said Tanvir Sadiq, MLA Zadibal.

According to the sources in security forces, the police have identified all the people responsible for the damage caused to the plaque.