She said militants are not only found in the forests of Jammu and Kashmir and labelled those who removed the emblem as militants.
New Delhi: BJP national executive member and Chairperson, Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, Dr. Syed Dr Darakhshan Andrabi, on Friday, September 5, called for the registration of FIRs against those opposing the placing of the national emblem Ashoka Stambh on the inauguration plaque of the renovated Hazratbal mosque in Srinagar.
The Ashoka Stambh was placed on the inauguration plaque inside the mosque complex, drawing sharp criticism from various quarters.
Objections by National Conference
Tanvir Sadiq, Chief spokesperson of the ruling National Conference (NC) and Zadibal MLA, said placing a sculpted figure at the revered shrine goes against the tenets of Islam, which strictly forbids idol worship.
“I’m 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 in a post on X.
On Friday, people broke the inauguration plaque with stones, removing the Ashoka Stambh.
What did Darakhshan Andrabi say?
Darakhshan Andrabi, terming the incident unfortunate, said some people are playing politics on the issue. “This (incident) is not a scar on the stone, this is a scar on my heart. This is a scar on the Constitution, which the elected leaders here raise. Do the leaders here not use the emblem? Does our elected chief minister not take the emblem along?” she asked at a press conference at Hazratbal.
Andrabi said those who have a problem with the use of the Ashoka Stambh should not then carry currency notes, which feature the emblem, while visiting the shrine.
“The person who has tweeted (Sadiq), is this his doing? Are they playing politics once again? It is unfortunate what the leader did. He is not worthy of being called a leader,” she said.
‘My party, the BJP, does not play politics on Waqf’
Andrabi said the party that she belongs to (BJP) does not play politics on Waqf. “We believe in working, and I have worked day and night. Today, they sent their hooligans and created a ruckus here,” she said.
“I had warned the police because I knew they would create a ruckus,” she added.
Andrabi dubs locals as militants
The visibly angry Waqf Board chief said militants are not only found in the forests of Jammu and Kashmir and labelled those who removed the emblem as militants.
“I want to tell police, security forces, the prime minister and the home minister that militants are not limited to jungles, they are not coming from across (the border), these hooligans are (militants), who broke the emblem with stones. They should be found and booked under the PSA (Public Safety Act). They are trying to vitiate the atmosphere here,” she said.
Political parties criticise, demand dismissal of Darakshan Andrabi
Kashmir-based political parties criticised the use of the national emblem on a renovation plaque by the Waqf Board at Srinagar’s Hazratbal shrine, some calling for the dismissal of Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board chairperson Darakhshan Andrabi over the incident.
What did CM Omar Abdullah say?
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the national emblem is meant for government functions, not religious institutions. Former CM Mehbooba Mufti termed the installation blasphemous. Some religious leaders argued that it was against the teachings of Islam.
The inclusion of the national emblem on the renovation plaque at the Hazratbal mosque sparked a huge row that was followed by the plaque being broken and removed by unidentified people on Friday, right after congregational prayers.
The J-K unit of the BJP, however, demanded exemplary action not just against the perpetrators of the vandalism of the plaque but also those who acted “behind the scenes” to deface the Ashoka Stambh.
Who is Darakhshan Andrabi
Though much information about Darakhshan Andrabi is not available, her bio provided in her X account describes her as, “Chairperson J&K Waqf Board (MoS J&K). BJP NATIONAL EXECUTIVE MEMBER, J&K BJP Core Group Member, BJP Spokesperson. Former Member Central Waqf Council (GoI).”
Her page on www.blogger.com describes her Industry as Non-Profit, Occupation as Politician/Business Person/Media Freelancer/Writer, and Location as Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Darakhshan Andrabi has called for the registration of FIRs against those opposing the placing of the national emblem on the inauguration plaque of the renovated Hazratbal mosque in Srinagar.
- The Ashoka Stambh was placed on the inauguration plaque inside the mosque complex, drawing sharp criticism from various quarters.
- Tanvir Sadiq, Chief spokesperson of the ruling National Conference (NC) and Zadibal MLA, said placing a sculpted figure at the revered shrine goes against the tenets of Islam, which strictly forbids idol worship.
- On Friday, people broke the inauguration plaque with stones, removing the Ashoka Stambh.
Darakhshan Andrabi, terming the incident unfortunate, said some people are playing politics on the issue. “This (incident) is not a scar on the stone, this is a scar on my heart. This is a scar on the Constitution, which the elected leaders here raise. Do the leaders here not use the emblem? Does our elected chief minister not take the emblem along?” she asked at a press conference at Hazratbal.
