JK: Why a Marble Plaque at Hazratbal Dargah Sparked Protests

The Hazratbal Dargah in Srinagar, one of Kashmir’s most revered shrines, became the epicenter of unrest during the Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi celebrations. 

The protests centered around a newly installed marble plaque at the shrine, unveiled on September 3, as part of a large-scale renovation and beautification project carried out by the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board.

Hazratbal Dargah Renovation Sparks Unexpected Controversy

The renovation, the first significant interior transformation since 1968, was overseen by the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board under the leadership of Chairperson Dr Darakhshan Andrabi. The project introduced modern facilities such as air conditioning and digital electrical systems, while also incorporating traditional Kashmiri craftsmanship, including khatamband, papier-mâché, and pinjrakari. However, it was the installation of the marble plaque bearing the Ashoka Emblem, India’s national symbol, that sparked controversy.

During the Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi prayers, tensions escalated when a section of devotees objected to the Ashoka Emblem on the newly installed plaque. The emblem, a sculpted lion capital, was perceived by some as resembling an idol, which they argued conflicted with Islamic principles of Tawheed (monotheism), prohibiting idol worship or figurative representation in sacred spaces. 

The protests soon turned violent, with a mob vandalizing the plaque, smashing the emblem, and shouting slogans against its presence at the shrine. 

Videos of the incident quickly went viral on social media, intensifying the uproar. Initially, a small group of men damaged the plaque, but they were soon joined by a larger group of women who further vandalized it and demanded the removal of the board.

The unrest took place against the backdrop of the shrine’s high-profile renovation, which had earlier been hailed by the Waqf Board and Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju as a “proud cultural milestone” for blending modernity with Kashmir’s traditional artistry.

J-K Waqf Board Chief Condemns Vandalism

Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board Chairperson Darakhshan Andrabi strongly condemned the vandalism at Hazratbal Dargah and urged strict action under the Public Safety Act (PSA) against those responsible.

”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 will want action against all of them; We trust our police force to slap PSA against all these terrorists. They should not be spared,” she told Zee News. 

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