HAZRATBAL ROW EXPOSES BJP’s DOUBLE STANDARDS

Adv. Sharfuddin Ahmad, National Vice President of the Social Democratic Party of India, strongly condemns the recent actions of the Lieutenant Governor’s administration in Jammu and Kashmir, operating under the direct control of the Modi government. The a action apparantly appears not from a administratively balanced mind but from the Agent provocateur to calculatedly provoke unrest, polarize communities, and undermine the fragile peace of the Valley.Hazratbal is has always been respected as one of the highest seats of religious authority having full guarantee for the fundamental rights of minorities in the Constitution.This act is blatant and unnecessary interference to widen the communal cleavage distracting not only from the actual issues but also providing fuel to nasty elements into the valley as well as to pamper the indoctrinated anti-Kashmir groups with a view to yield political and electoral benefits in other parts of the country

The controversy at the Hazratbal Shrine, where a plaque bearing the National Emblem was installed inside the mosque, has deeply wounded the sentiments of worshippers. The placement of the Ashoka Lion Capital within a place of prayer runs contrary to Islamic principles of aniconism, which strictly prohibit animal imagery in mosques. Rather than being a routine administrative decision, this act represents a deliberate attempt to impose state symbolism on a revered religious institution. The anger it generated on 5 September was not the result of political orchestration but a spontaneous reaction from people who felt their sacred space had been desecrated. To brand such hurt sentiments as terrorism is both unjust and inflammatory.

Responsibility for this misstep lies with the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, which has been functioning under the leadership of BJP leader Dr. Darakhshan Andrabi since 2022. Instead of safeguarding religious institutions, the board has acted as a political instrument of the central government, disregarding the sensitivities of the Muslim community. Andrabi’s rhetoric, labeling ordinary worshippers as “terrorists” and urging the use of harsh measures such as the Public Safety Act, has only heightened tensions. Meanwhile, the administration has responded with FIRs and mass detentions, further alienating people rather than addressing their legitimate concerns.

Equally disturbing is the selective nature of such interventions. No reports suggest similar plaques being placed in Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras, or Christian churches, either in Jammu and Kashmir or elsewhere in India. The exclusive targeting of Muslim sites exposes a discriminatory double standard and points to a broader agenda aimed at marginalizing Kashmir’s Muslim majority.

This controversy cannot be separated from the larger reality of post-2019 Jammu and Kashmir. The abrogation of Article 370, accompanied by centralization of power, widespread disenfranchisement, and restrictions on civil liberties, has already sown deep mistrust. Imposing national symbols in places of worship adds another layer to this alienation.

The Social Democratic Party of India demands accountability for the Hazratbal episode, the release of all detainees, and the removal of provocative symbols from religious sites. The Modi government must stop using Kashmir as a testing ground for communal experiments and instead respect its pluralistic traditions. The people of the Valley deserve dignity, justice, and peace, not provocation and suppression.