The consequences of tolerating such acts are grave. If the emblem, which represents the authority of the Republic, can be defiled without consequence, it emboldens separatist elements and weakens the legitimacy of the State in the eyes of the people. It erodes the rule of law by sending the message that national symbols are negotiable, dependent on local sentiment or political expediency. Internationally, it diminishes India’s moral authority by projecting an image of weakness in defending its own sovereignty. Economically, it mocks theThe desecration of the National Emblem at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar is not a mere act of vandalism; it is an assault on the sovereignty and constitutional integrity of the Republic of India. The National Emblem, derived from the Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath, was adopted on January 26, 1950, the day our Constitution came into force. The framers of the Constitution deliberately chose this ancient symbol of Dharma, power, courage, and truth to embody the timeless civilisational values of India while ensuring that the Republic would not be tethered to any sectarian identity. It carries the motto Satyameva Jayate, (Truth Alone Triumphs), taken from the Mundaka Upanishad, reflecting the universal moral foundation of the Indian State. The emblem seeks to unite India’s civilisational heritage with its modern aspirations.
Consensus on Adoption of Emblem
Unlike the national flag, which invited heated debate in the Constituent Assembly, the emblem was adopted with consensus because it represented a civilisational legacy that transcended religious divisions. Nandalal Bose and Dinanath Bhargava, under the guidance of the Constituent Assembly Secretariat, meticulously adapted it for the Constitution’s opening pages, marking it as the sovereign seal of the Republic.
Defacing Bharatiya Constitution
To attack this emblem, therefore, is not to break stone; it is to deface the very authority of the Constitution. The incident that unfolded in Kashmir has ignited a fresh controversy. At the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar, during the occasion of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, a crowd vandalised and destroyed a plaque that bore the National Emblem of India – the Ashoka Pillar and the name of Dr Darakhshan Andrabi, Chairperson of the Jammu & Kashmir Waqf Board.
The Hazratbal shrine, situated on the Northern shores of Dal Lake, had recently undergone a massive renovation costing around Rs 50 crores, funded by the Central Government. However, the destruction of the plaque was not merely the breaking of a stone; it was a direct assault on the Constitution of India, on national sovereignty, and on the very identity of the Republic.
Desecration Causes Irreparable Damage
On September 3, 2025, Hazratbal shrine was re-inaugurated after renovation, and a memorial plaque was installed featuring the Ashoka Pillar and the name of the Waqf Board chairperson. Merely two
days later, on September 5, the plaque was destroyed by an agitated crowd. The Ashoka Pillar is not a mere inscription or ornament. It is a symbol of India’s pride, dignity, and democratic values. To desecrate it is to wound the very soul of India.
Labelling Assault as Terrorist Attack
Dr. Darakhshan Andrabi described this act as a “terrorist attack.” She rightly observed, “This is not the damage of a stone, this is damage to the Constitution.” Indeed, the insult of the national emblem is not an attack on an individual, party, or institution, but a direct assault on the entire Indian nation.
National Conference Incites Islamists
Unfortunately, certain political parties, including the National Conference, attempted to justify the act by claiming it hurt “religious sentiments.” NC leader Tanvir Sadiq remarked that Islam prohibits idol worship and therefore the Ashoka Pillar should not be present inside the mosque. This statement was not only irresponsible but also dangerous, because the Ashoka Pillar is not a religious idol , it is the sovereign emblem of India. To equate it with idol worship is a gross distortion of facts and nothing short of echoing the rhetoric of separatists and jihadists.
Historical & Constitutional Adoption of National Emblem
The National Emblem of India is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath, a 3rd-century BCE sculpture symbolising power, courage, confidence and faith. It was first adopted by the Dominion Government on December 30, 1947, and formally by the Republic on January 26, 1950, the day the Constitution came into force.
Its design was refined by Nandalal Bose and his student Dinanath Bhargava, who accurately captured the lions’ realistic posture for its appearance in the opening pages of the Constitution. Notably, unlike the Indian flag which prompted robust debate in the Constituent Assembly, the emblem was adopted without extensive parliamentary debate, reflecting consensus on its universality and non-sectarian symbolism.
The National Emblem was never meant to be a religious object; it was adopted as the sovereign symbol of the Republic, above caste, creed, or religion.
The Hazratbal incident is a warning that separatist impulses remain embedded in Kashmir and that they will manifest by targeting the symbols that unify the nation. The emblem, chosen by the framers as a secular and civilisational anchor, must be defended as such
The destruction of the emblem at Hazratbal Dargah is not a matter of faith but an attempt to reject India’s sovereignty. It mirrors a separatist mindset that refuses to accept India’s symbols of unity.
Since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, there has been a notable increase in protests against national symbols from opposing the hoisting of the Tricolour in schools to now vandalising the National Emblem itself. Each such incident is a deliberate attempt to keep separatist sentiments alive.
Professor Ashok Paranjpe aptly remarks: “This is not a religious dispute, but a refusal to accept the symbols of Indian nationhood. It poses a serious challenge to Kashmir’s complete integration with Indian democracy.”
A National Security Issue
This act cannot be dismissed as mere vandalism. It is an act of terrorism against the Indian state. It insults not just the Government or the Waqf Board but the very sovereignty of the Republic. The financial aspect is also grave: the Central Government invested Rs 50 crores of taxpayers’ money to preserve Hazratbal as a cultural and religious heritage site. The destruction of the emblem dishonours not only Government resources but also the hard-earned contributions of millions of Indian citizens.
The destruction of the emblem at Hazratbal Dargah is not a matter of faith but an attempt to reject India’s sovereignty. It mirrors a separatist mindset that refuses to accept India’s symbols of unity
The Hazratbal incident serves as a chilling reminder that separatist roots in Kashmir remain deep. The insult of national symbols is not a matter of religious dissent but a calculated attack on India’s sovereignty and unity.
Legally, the act falls within the mischief of the State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005, which restricts misuse and mandates respect, and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which criminalises insults to national symbols. Further, under Article 51A(a) of the Constitution, it is the fundamental duty of every citizen to respect the Constitution and its symbols, including the flag, anthem, and emblem. By desecrating the emblem, the perpetrators have violated not only statutory law but also the fundamental duties that define citizenship in a Republic. Such an act also has secessionist implications in a sensitive region like Kashmir, where separatist groups have historically sought to undermine national symbols such as the flag and the Constitution.
The framers of the Constitution were acutely conscious of the danger of religious authority encroaching upon the temporal sovereignty of the State. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar repeatedly warned that while freedom of religion would be protected, the sovereignty of the State must remain supreme. The adoption of the emblem, drawn from India’s civilisational past rather than from any sectarian tradition, was part of this design. It symbolised that India belongs equally to all its people and that no religious argument could diminish the supremacy of the Republic. The Hazratbal incident, therefore, is not simply about a plaque at a mosque but about rejecting the very idea of national sovereignty in favour of sectarian interpretations.
Origin and Historical Context
The Lion Capital at Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh) is a polished sandstone sculpture dating to the 3rd century BCE. It originally crowned a pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka (reigned c. 265–238 BCE). Built around 250 BCE, the capital commemorated the spot of the Buddha’s first sermon at Sarnath. Carved from a single block of Chunar sandstone and standing about 2.1 m tall, it bears four Asiatic lions seated back-to-back on a circular abacus. The pillar (inscribed with Ashoka’s edicts) and capital fell in antiquity and were buried, preserving the sculpture until modern excavation.
Symbolism and Meaning
Lions: Each of the four lions (Asiatic lions of the Shakya clan) symbolises both the historical Bhagwan Buddha (born into the Shakya Hindu) and Ashoka’s royal power. Lions sit with mouths open as if roaring, often interpreted as the Buddha (or Ashoka as a Chakravartin universal ruler) proclaiming the Dharma (Four Noble Truths) to all directions. Together they represent virtues like courage, pride, and confidence.
Dharma Chakra (Wheel): Below the lions on the abacus appear wheels with 24 spokes (the Dharmachakra). This “wheel of law” symbolises the Buddha’s teachings and Ashoka’s righteous rule. It evokes the Buddha “turning the wheel of the law” at Sarnath and also alludes to Ashoka’s title Chakravartin (wheel-turning king). This 24‑spoked wheel later became central to Bharat’s national flag, signifying progress and virtue.
Other Animals (Elephant, Bull, Horse, Lion): Between the wheels on the abacus appear four animals in high relief (an elephant, a bull, a horse, and a second lion) marching in a circle. According to the scholar A C A Foucher (and others), each animal represents a key event in the
Buddha’s life: the elephant (Queen Maya’s white-elephant dream before Buddha’s birth), the bull (his birth under a “Vrishabha”/Taurus sign), the horse (the horse Kanthaka on which he left the palace), and the lion (symbolic of the enlightened Buddha). Other interpretations see these four creatures as symbols of the four quarters of the world or the four stages of life’s cycle (birth, death, etc.). In any case, they reinforce the Buddhist context of the monument.
Lotus Base: The entire capital rests on an inverted lotus (bell-shaped lotus flower). In Buddhist art the lotus represents purity and spiritual rebirth. Here it symbolises rising above worldly life toward enlightenment. (Note: in the modern state emblem, the lotus base is omitted – see below.)
Adoption as the National Emblem of Bharat
On July 22, 1947, in the Constituent Assembly it was told by members that the Ashokan period was “essentially an international period of peace and culture and goodwill”. Thus, the Lion Capital was officially adopted as Bharat’s State Emblem on 26 January 1950, the day the Republic was proclaimed. The design (showing three lions and the abacus) was already featured on Government stationery by the late 1940s. In choosing Ashoka’s symbol, Bharat’s leaders signalled a link to ancient ideals of dharma (righteousness), equality and tolerance. Nehru noted that invoking Ashoka’s symbol pledged the new nation to those values. The emblem’s lions stand for power, courage, pride and confidence, reflecting Ashoka’s chakravartin rule. By using the Lion Capital, the Republic of Bharat visually connected itself to the Mauryan golden age and its message of social justice under law.
Design and Modifications of the Official Emblem
The official emblem differs slightly from the original sculpture. In the replica seal, three lions are visible (the fourth is hidden from view at the back). The circular abacus (wheel) remains, but the original lotus (bell) on which the capital rested is omitted. In its place, a 24‑spoked Ashoka Chakra is depicted below the lions. Below the abacus is inscribed the national motto “Satyameva Jayate” (सत्यमेव जयते, “Truth Alone Triumphs”), a phrase from the Mundaka Upanishad adopted in 1950. Early designers paid great attention to accuracy: artist Dinanath Bhargava (at Nandalal Bose’s direction) studied live lions in a zoo to render them realistically on the Republic’s Constitution and emblem. The final emblem (three lions and the wheel) is used on all government seals.
Contemporary Significance and Usage
Today the Ashoka emblem pervades official Bharat. It appears on Bharatiya currency and coins, passports, Government letterheads, and official documents. It is the national seal of the Republic of Bharat, used by the Union and all State Governments. Its use is protected by law (the State Emblem Act of 2005). The Ashoka Chakra from the emblem is also at the center of the national flag.
investment of public resources in preserving shared heritage, only for that investment to be turned into a weapon against the Republic itself. This is why the incident cannot be dismissed as a matter of religious sentiment. It is, as Dr. Andrabi rightly described it, a terrorist act, not in the narrow sense of an armed assault but in the deeper constitutional sense of an attack designed to terrorise the idea of India. The emblem is above religion. It is not Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, or Christian; it is the seal of the Constitution, the sovereign authority of 1.4 billion Indians. To desecrate it is to strike at the unity, integrity, and future of theThe response, therefore, must be unequivocal. The law must take its course with the strictest penalties against those responsible. The government must clarify to the public, especially in sensitive regions, that the emblem is not a matter of faith but a matter of sovereignty. Civic education must reinforce that the emblem, like the flag and anthem, belongs to every Indian equally and symbolises not religion but democracy, justice, and unity. Above all, the Republicm ust demonstrate that its symbols cannot be defiled with impunity, for to tolerate such desecration is to The Hazratbal incident is a warning that separatist impulses remain embedded in Kashmir and that they will manifest by targeting the symbols that unify the nation. The emblem, chosen by the framers as a secular and civilisational anchor, must be defended as such. To protect it is not token symbolism but a constitutional necessity. In the end, the Republic of India stands not only on its territorial boundaries but also on the respect commanded by its institutions and symbols. If those symbols are allowed to be trampled, the sovereignty they represent is weakened. The only constitutional answer is firmness, clarity, and action, because in defending the emblem, we are defending the Republic itself. accept the erosion of the very foundations on which the Constitution rests. Republic itself.
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