SRINAGAR: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday defended the vandals of the stone plaque at the revered Assari Sharief Hazratbal Shrine, saying that it is not right to call these people terrorists and individuals involved were “overcome with emotions.”
Mufti held the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board and its members responsible for the escalation of the event and demanded action against them under Section 295-A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), claiming what they did was an act of “blasphemy.”
Her remarks came after a viral video had surfaced showing a mob defacing the national emblem inscribed on the foundation stone of the shrine, which is undergoing reconstruction and redevelopment under the Waqf Board.
Addressing a press conference, the PDP chief said, “The people who vandalised after getting overcome with emotions and they are not against the emblem… It is not right to say that these people should be arrested under the Public Safety Act and they are terrorists… I would say there should be action against those who are demanding action under section 295-A because this is blasphemy for us… Any act which hurts the sentiment of a particular religion, then there should be action against this. I would urge CM Omar Abdullah to take action in this matter. Waqf board is responsible in this… Action under section 295-A should be taken against those responsible, especially the Waqf board…”
