Govt emblem not meant for religious places: Omar on Hazratbal incident

Srinagar, Sep 6: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday strongly criticised the installation of a government emblem at the revered Dargah Hazratbal Shrine, terming it both “unnecessary” and “avoidable”.
Speaking to reporters in Anantnag after assessing the post-flood situation, Omar said that he had never seen such symbols installed in any religious place or function, and argued there was “absolutely no justification” for the move.
“If the work at Hazratbal had been done sincerely, people themselves would have recognised it. You don’t need plaques or emblems to claim credit,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah gave the shrine its current shape, yet “he (Sheikh Abdullah) never thought of using a plaque or stone to highlight his contribution, and still people remember his role with respect.”
Reacting sharply to Waqf Board chairperson Dr Darakshan Andrabi’s statement warning of PSA action against those who damaged the emblem, Omar said the approach was wrong from the start. “The first mistake was to hurt people’s sentiments. Instead of threatening PSA, the right course would have been to apologise to the people,” he said, adding, “Emblems belong in government offices, not in religious places like temples, mosques or shrines.”