SRINAGAR: The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), the conglomerate of religious organisations in Jammu and Kashmir headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Saturday expressed concern over the installation of a plaque bearing the Ashoka Chakra inside the revered Hazratbal Shrine, urging its immediate removal.
In a statement, the MMU said Hazratbal was “the spiritual heart of the Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir” and any alteration undermining its sanctity deeply hurt the sentiments of devotees. “Islam is explicit in its teachings: no plaques, emblems, figures, or symbols are permitted in mosques or shrines. Even when Hazratbal was rebuilt in the past, no plaques or foundation stones were placed. To introduce them now sets a dangerous precedent,” the statement said.
The MMU reminded the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board that shrines must remain spaces of prayer and humility, not “symbols or displays.” It said the responsibility entrusted to the board under Muslim law and custom did not permit such installations.
On the police action against locals who protested, the MMU said filing FIRs against worshippers was “unjustified and unwarranted.” It stressed that matters of religion should be addressed with dialogue and understanding, not punitive measures.
The organisation urged the Waqf Board and authorities to consult religious scholars before undertaking future works at sacred sites. It reiterated that the plaque at Hazratbal must be removed without delay.
