Srinagar, Sept 05: The National Conference (NC) on Friday reacted to the vandalism at the revered Hazratbal shrine.
The party took to the social media platform X, saying the allegations of disrespect towards sacred symbols and religious sentiments should not be politicised or used to deflect from the pressing need to maintain peace and order.
“The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference has always upheld the guiding principle of Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah: ‘Sher-i-Kashmir ka kya irshaad – Hindu, Muslim, Sikh Ittihaad.’ Unity, mutual respect, and dignity for all faiths remain central to our ideology. It is therefore a matter of grave concern that practices contrary to the fundamental principles of Islam, such as the use of pictorial or symbolic depictions of living beings, are being introduced inside the sacred Hazratbal shrine – the spiritual heart of our people where thousands gather every day for prayers,” the post on X reads. “In Islam, the principle of Tawheed clearly prohibits such representations. For devotees, this is not a small matter but a direct affront to their deeply held religious sentiments.”
The NC said the Waqf is not the personal estate of any individual but a trust run on the contributions and donations of ordinary Muslims. “It must be managed in line with their faith and traditions. Yet we now witness an unelected individual, with no mandate from the people of Jammu and Kashmir, crowning herself inside holy shrines – the very places where Dastaar Bandi, a long held religious cultural practice was banned. This act not only disrespects the sanctity of our shrines but also mocks the very principles of accountability and humility that Islam upholds,” the party said.
“Even more disturbing is that instead of offering an apology to the people for hurting their religious sentiments – which under Indian law itself constitutes an offence – threats are being issued of arrests under the PSA. Is this the future of Waqf management in Jammu and Kashmir – run not with respect for faith and community, but with arrogance, spectacle, and fear?” the NC said. “Our shrines are places of faith, humility, and unity. They cannot be turned into platforms for personal glorification.”
