Srinagar: Expressing anguish over the detention of nearly thirty individuals in connection with the recent developments at Dargah Hazratbal, Member of Parliament (Srinagar) Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Sunday called the action “retributive” and urged authorities to act with sensitivity and empathy.
In a statement, Mehdi said it was “disheartening” that the issue was being distorted into “a misplaced test of nationalism” and the people of Kashmir were being vilified.
“The idea of India rests on co-existence and respect for religious and cultural sentiments. To misrepresent an expression of collective hurt as ‘anti-national’ undermines our constitutional values and unity,” he said.
The Srinagar MP stressed that the matter was not about questioning the stature of the National Emblem, but about the “intention behind its placement within a revered religious site,” terming the incident an outcome of “administrative insensitivity, if not deliberate provocation.”
Mehdi noted that Islam categorically prohibits the depiction of living beings inside mosques and other places of worship, a prohibition that he said “cannot be overlooked.”
Calling for the immediate release of those detained, Mehdi urged the administration to “approach such sensitive matters with wisdom and empathy.” He also expressed solidarity with the families enduring uncertainty, hoping that “better sense prevails.”
