BJP warns against ‘political mischief’, seeks action

Jammu, Sep 6: Jammu and Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday condemned the attempt to damage the national emblem at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar and warned against, what it alleged, “any political mischief through attempts to create unrest under the guise of religion or politics.”

J&K BJP chief spokesperson Sunil Sethi, in a press conference on the issue, said that the people of India won’t accept disrespect of the national emblem. He demanded that the government should take strict action against those who vandalized it at Hazratbal shrine.

“The despicable act at Hazratbal was a deliberate effort to defame national symbols and disrupt peace in the region. National symbol has not been used for the first time. In the Union Territory, it has been there at all shrines renovated by J&K Waqf Board,” Sethi said.

Senior J&K BJP leaders Dr Tahir Chowdhary, Ajay Bharti, Zorawar Singh Jamwal, Dr Hari Dutt Shishu accompanied Sethi during the presser. Expressing deep concern over the incident, they also called for strict action against “those directly involved as well as those who incited the attack.” They suggested that such provocations were being “orchestrated to destabilise the region and give space to anti-national elements.” During the presser, Sunil Sethi described the issue as highly sensitive and dangerous, warning that such acts were aimed at “reviving extremist sentiments in Kashmir, similar to those seen in the 1990s.”

He praised the efforts of the Waqf Board, particularly its chairperson, for the renovation and beautification of the Dargah Hazratbal shrine, which is now considered one of the most beautiful religious sites in South Asia. However, he pointed out that certain political forces tried to exploit this development for their narrow agendas.

The incident in question involved attempts to damage the national emblem, the Ashoka Chakra, installed on the inauguration stone outside the shrine complex. Sethi said that the national emblem represented the pride of every Indian, regardless of religion, and that any attack on it was an insult to the entire nation. He slammed attempts by political actors, particularly from the National Conference, to inflame passions by tweeting provocative messages and spreading misinformation. “The national emblem belongs to every Indian. It cannot be politicized or used to stir unrest,” he stressed.

Sethi further urged the government to take strict action not only against those who physically attacked the symbol but also against those who incited and justified it, including political figures who supported or attempted to normalize the offense.