Srinagar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday accused the National Conference (NC) of instigating the recent incident at the Hazratbal shrine complex, terming it an attempt to “disrupt peace and derail the transparent functioning of the Waqf Board.”
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, BJP’s senior leader Altaf Thakur said the opposition party was “unable to digest the positive reforms and renovation works being carried out under the leadership of Dr. Darakshan Andrabi as Chairperson of the Waqf Board.”
“The problem of NC is not with the Waqf Board’s functioning. Their problem is that they cannot tolerate a plaque with the name of the Board’s Chairperson. They have no issues with the development works being undertaken, but they want to politicise everything for their own interests,” Thakur said.
He strongly condemned the violence, vandalism, and reported erasure of the national emblem during the incident, describing it as a deliberate attempt to spread unrest. Thakur urged the authorities to identify those behind the act and ensure strict legal action.
“Those who resort to vandalism and want to bring back violence and chaos to Kashmir must be dealt with under law. Such actions hurt the sanctity of our revered shrines and undermine peace in society,” he remarked, without directly naming the NC but holding it responsible for “provoking public sentiment for political mileage.”
The BJP leader further defended the Waqf Board’s ongoing initiatives, saying the body under Andrabi had brought “transparency and accountability” in shrine management, while launching renovation and development works “unseen in previous regimes.”
“The public can see the changes for themselves. This is the first time Waqf resources are being used in an accountable and visible way for the welfare of shrines and the community,” Thakur said, adding that the opposition’s criticism was “driven by insecurity, not by facts.”
The statement comes on a day the NC leadership demanded the immediate dismissal of Waqf Board Chairperson Dr. Darakshan Andrabi, accusing her of misusing the national emblem and politicising shrine management.
