Srinagar, Sept 7 (KNS): National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said the decision to install a board carrying the National Emblem at the Hazratbal shrine was inappropriate and hurt the public’s religious sentiment.
Addressing reporters, Abdullah remarked that the shrine was constructed with the contributions of local people, including his father Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, and not through the generosity of any government.
He recalled how his father went door to door seeking donations for the shrine, narrating an incident in which a poor woman offered her only utensil as a contribution. Sheikh Abdullah initially refused to accept it, but the woman insisted it was for the Prophet (PBUH) and not for him personally. “This shows the sacrifices people made for Hazratbal,” he said.
According to Abdullah, the shrine belongs to the community and has always stood as a symbol of devotion built with people’s own resources. “Even my father never allowed a board with his name to be fixed there. This time, when a board was placed, people rejected it because they considered it wrong,” he said.
He urged that the episode be taken as a lesson, underlining that Kashmiris want to live in peace and harmony, and such actions should not be repeated in the future.(KNS).
