Ashoka emblem row: From holy relic disappearance to 1993 siege, Hazratbal again at the centre of controversy

Srinagar: Hazratbal shrine, the most revered religious site in Kashmir that has witnessed some of the Valley’s most turbulent episodes, is once again at the heart of a controversy.

This time, anger has erupted over the installation of the national emblem on an inauguration plaque within the shrine complex, sparking fears that the situation could escalate into wider unrest.

The controversy came to the fore on Friday when worshippers damaged the plaque, pelting it with stones and shouting slogans against the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board. Protesters argued that Islam forbids sculptures or emblematic figures inside places of worship, accusing shrine managers of insensitivity to religious sentiments.

Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah called the move “deeply insensitive,” saying the national emblem should not have been used at a religious place as it had hurt public sentiments.

Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti went further, demanding action under blasphemy laws against Waqf Board chairperson and senior BJP leader Darakhshan Andrabi. She argued that an FIR should be filed under Section 295-A against the person responsible for installing the board rather than those who reacted in anger. Her remarks came in response to Andrabi’s call that the culprits involved in defacing the plaque be booked under the Public Safety Act.

Caught in the middle, security officials admit they face a tricky choice. “If we take action against those who vandalised the emblem and arrest them, it may lead to more protests and snowball into a major issue. If we don’t, it may be seen as a weakness of the state. It is a double-edged sword,” a senior officer told DH. For now, the administration has refrained from arrests, relying on heavy deployment around Hazratbal to contain the situation.

The row threatens to undo the relative calm of recent years, with political observers warning it could unite mainstream parties and religious groups against the BJP, undermining gains of peace and stability achieved in the past six years.

Hazratbal’s history underscores why controversies here stir deep emotions. In December 1963, the disappearance of the holy relic — believed to be a strand of hair of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) — triggered mass protests across the Valley, forcing New Delhi to intervene and reshaping Kashmiri politics in what became known as the 1964 Holy Relic Movement.

Three decades later, in October 1993, the shrine became the centre of a month-long Army siege after militants took refuge inside, sparking widespread protests and international concern. Though it ended without bloodshed, the episode entrenched Hazratbal’s role as a symbol of both devotion and defiance.

Analysts say the emblem row, though seemingly a minor administrative decision, has touched the same raw nerves that previous crises did. The timing, coinciding with heightened political activity in Jammu and Kashmir, has raised anxieties further. As the government weighs its next steps, many warn that mishandling the issue could revive memories of earlier agitations that scarred the Valley.