J&K LoP accuses NC of instigating national emblem defacing at Hazratbal shrine

Jammu, Sep 6 (IANS) Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in J&K Assembly, Sunil Sharma on Saturday condemned the defacing of the national emblem by hooligans at the Hazratbal shrine on Friday and accused the ruling National Conference (NC) of allegedly supporting separatists and terrorists.

Speaking to the media here on Saturday about yesterday’s incident in which a group of hooligans defaced the national emblem engraved on an inauguration marble slab at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar, Sunil Sharma said, “Whether the emblem should have been engraved on the inauguration stone at the Hazratbal shrine or not, is a different debate, but the real question is whether the defacing of the national emblem is justified?

“The national emblem is the symbol of India’s unity, integrity and sovereignty and the way the National Conference justifies the issue only confirms the belief that it is a semi-separatist group that has formed itself into a political party supporting anti-national elements and terrorists.”

The BJP leader said the way the Congress party is maintaining silence over the issue is not understandable.

“I am not here to give certificates to anybody, but the way the Congress party is maintaining silence over the issue is not understandable”, Sharma said.

It must be recalled that a group of hooligans yesterday defaced the national emblem engraved on a marble slab at the Hazratbal shrine.

The hooligans used stones to smash the national emblem. Police have now registered an FIR into the incident under the relevant sections of law and has started fixing responsibility on those involved in the shameful act.

Darakhshan Andrabi, chairperson of the local Waqf Board yesterday regretted the incident and demanded stringent action against those responsible for the unfortunate incident and those responsible for instigating the hooligans to resort to such an act.

She also blamed the NC, without naming anybody directly, for having instigated the hooligans to indulge in such an anti-national act.

--IANS

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