Srinagar: Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma on Saturday strongly condemned what he called the “vandalism at Hazratbal Dargah, where a few devotees defaced the emblem installed on an inauguration stone.”
Terming the act as “highly unfortunate and disgraceful,” Sharma said the “attack was not just vandalism but a direct assault on the dignity of the National Emblem and, by extension, on the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of the nation”.
“The National Emblem is the very symbol of India’s identity and existence. Any attempt to insult it is vile, cowardly, and deeply hurtful to every Indian,” he stated in a statement issued here today.
Targeting National Conference and accusing one of its MLAs of trying to shield the culprits by linking the incident to “religious sentiments, Sharma questioned what connection does the National Emblem have with religion?
Referring to CM Omar Abdullah’s remarks that the emblem should not have been placed on the plate, Sharma asserted, “Even if one concedes that point, no mob has the right to attack the Emblem. This is an unpardonable offense.”
The LoP urged the Lieutenant Governor to ensure that all those involved are identified and given the strictest possible punishment, warning that leniency would set a dangerous precedent.
