Tensions flared in Srinagar on September 5, after a mob vandalised the Ashoka Emblem carved on a marble plaque at Hazratbal Dargah.
On September 5, 2025, an Islamic mob vandalised the newly installed foundation stone at the revered Hazratbal Dargah in Srinagar, shattering the carved Ashoka Emblem from its marble plaque. The plaque had been installed as part of the foundation ceremony for a new structure within the shrine complex.
The mob claimed the emblem’s presence violated Islamic beliefs and traditions, with some declaring it a “blatant act of idol worship.”
Watch: On Friday, people dismantled an Ashoka Emblem carved on marble at the revered Hazratbal Dargah, citing that sculpting figures goes against Islamic ethos. The marble stone had been recently installed as part of the shrine’s makeover. pic.twitter.com/mdhNREsXkp
— Only Kashmir (@onlykmr) September 5, 2025
The incident came shortly after National Conference (NC) leader Tanvir Sadiq publicly objected to the national emblem’s placement at the shrine. Sadiq invoked the Islamic concept of Tawheed (oneness of God), saying any form of idol worship was strictly forbidden in Islam.
In a post on X, Sadiq wrote: “Sacred spaces must reflect only the purity of Tawheed, nothing else.”
Im not a religious scholar but in In Islam, idol worship is strictly forbidden—the gravest of sins. The foundation of our faith is Tawheed.
Placing a sculpted figure, at the revered Hazratbal Dargah goes against this very belief. Sacred spaces must reflect only the purity of…
— Tanvir Sadiq (@tanvirsadiq) September 5, 2025
His remarks drew sharp criticism and, according to BJP leaders, emboldened the mob that later vandalised the emblem.
Strongly condemning the incident, BJP leader and Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board Chairperson Dr Darakhshan Andrabi described the vandalism as nothing short of a “terrorist attack.”
Dr Andrabi urged the Centre to intervene immediately, “I appeal to the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to order the immediate arrest of those responsible for this act of vandalism.”
She alleged that political elements were behind the incident, attempting to tarnish both the dignity of the Dargah and the sanctity of Kashmir.
Without naming him directly, Andrabi hit out at NC leader Tanvir Sadiq, “A leader tweeted about it. I don’t think he deserves to be called a leader. These people don’t even know what religion is, they fed militants in their homes.”
She further claimed that “goons of the ruling party in Jammu and Kashmir” were behind the vandalism.
#WATCH | Srinagar, J&K | On the viral video of a mob tarnishing the national emblem on the foundation stone of the Hazratbal Shrine, BJP leader and Chairperson of J&K Waqf Board, Dr Darakshan Andrabi says, “This incident is very unfortunate. Tarnishing the national emblem is a… pic.twitter.com/Cq1hONZSZJ
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2025
The desecration of the emblem has sparked outrage across political and social circles. While NC’s Tanvir Sadiq maintained that the emblem’s presence at Hazratbal contradicted Islamic teachings, BJP leaders accused the NC of instigating religious sentiments for political mileage.
The police have yet to confirm the number of arrests made, but officials say they are identifying those involved in the mob attack through CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts.
The Hazratbal incident has once again highlighted the fragile religious and political sensitivities in Kashmir, where spaces often become battlegrounds for ideological conflicts.
The Ashoka Emblem, India’s national symbol representing the ideals of dharma and justice, has rarely been contested in religious contexts.
