NC, PDP condemn ‘detention of locals’ over Hazratbal incident

The ruling National Conference (NC) on Sunday (September 7, 2025) condemned the police’s reported move to detain over 26 locals for defiling the National Emblem at Hazratbal, while senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders sought stern police action against those who had damaged the national symbol.

“I am disheartened and anguished to learn that nearly 30 individuals have been detained by the police in connection to events that unfolded at the Hazratbal dargah. I strongly condemn this act of operational retribution at a time when statesmanship demanded an approach of reconciliation and empathy from the administration,” NC leader and MP Aga Syed Ruhullah said. 

When contacted, the J&K Police neither denied nor confirmed the detentions in the case.

On Friday (September 5, 2025), worshippers damaged the recently installed plaque of the J&K Waqf Board on renovation work, and took exception to the use of the National Emblem at the religious site. The issue was being “institutionally distorted to represent a twisted litmus test for nationalism”, Mr. Ruhullah said.

“The idea of India is an idea of mutual coexistence, where religious and cultural sentiments and precedents are not affronts to a collective national identity but integral values that define it. To portray the manifestation of a sentiment of hurt that organically emerged in the dargah as a reflection of an ‘anti-national’ sentiment is a disservice to the nation, the Constitution, and the values it enshrines. It is also a collective and expedient vilification of the people of Kashmir,” Mr. Ruhullah said.

“The situation that arose at the Hazratbal shrine stemmed from an instigation that was provided, if not engineered, by those who failed to understand the gravity of this act. There are laws that define the precedent and scope of using the National Emblem. There are also laws against hurting religious sentiments and creating disharmony in society. While the police and authorities have taken an operational and punitive recourse by detaining people, why aren’t they equally serious in the application of those laws? Why aren’t those who created this unfortunate situation at one of our most revered religious sites being held legally accountable?” Mr. Ruhullah said.

NC president Farooq Abdullah also condemned the J&K Waqf Board’s move. “What happened in Hazratbal was wrong. That board (featuring the National Emblem) should not have been put up there. This shrine was built with the money of the people of J&K. It does not belong to anyone; it belongs to Allah,” Dr. Abdullah said.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti said she had been shocked by the First Information Report (FIR). “It’s absurd that the J&K Police has filed an FIR knowing well that religious sentiments were deliberately hurt at the Hazratbal dargah. The waqf comprises entirely of Muslims yet they showed utter disdain and insensitivity. They are the ones who should be booked immediately,” Ms. Mufti said.

Senior BJP leaders have weighed in for Darakshan Andrabi, Chairperson of the J&K Waqf Board, who is at the eye of storm amid demands from local parties to remove her from the post. 

“The Hazratbal shrine is a symbol of peace. The shrine’s deep connection to the Prophet Muhammad’s relic has truly contributed to its image as a beacon of faith and unity. I strongly condemn the vandalism of the sacred Ashoka Emblem from the Hazratbal dargah inauguration stone. Dr. Darakhshan Andrabi and J&K Waqf Board carried out the historic renovation of Hazratbal dargah. After 1968, this is the first major interior transformation of the shrine. The wonderful new design blending modernity with the traditional artistry of Kashmir is praiseworthy,” Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs of India, said.

BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Ali Khatana said the ruling NC and Congress were “orchestrating the incident to malign Kashmir’s image”. “Regional parties of Kashmir have caused a lot of harm to Muslims. The National Emblem was installed outside the shrine’s prayer hall as part of the renovation project, which the government funded. It was necessary to include the National Emblem as a symbol of transparency,” Mr. Khatana said.

Senior BJP leader and the Leader of the Opposition in the J&K Assembly Sunil Sharma the act was not merely vandalism but “a direct assault on the dignity of the National Emblem and, by extension, on the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India”.

“The National Emblem is the very symbol of India’s identity and existence. Any attack on it is a vile, cowardly, and disgraceful act that has deeply hurt the sentiments of every Indian. I strongly condemn and denounce this entire incident. This is not an ordinary case — it marks a dangerous and deeply disturbing departure from past incidents in Kashmir. The concerned NC MLA must clarify whether the mob was acting at his behest, and whether he seeks to offer protection to these miscreants,” Mr. Sharma said.

The Hazratbal shrine is home to a holy relic of the Prophet Mohammad. It is the Kashmir Valley’s biggest and most revered religious site.