Invoking PSA against protesters exposes intentions of authorities: Agha Ruhulla
Srinagar: National Conference senior leader and Member of Indian Parliament from Srinagar, Syed Agha Ruhulla Mehdi, has strongly criticised the Waqf Board for installing the Ashoka emblem at the revered Hazratbal shrine and condemned the call to slap the draconian Public Safety Act (PSA) on those who protested against it.
According to Kashmir Media Service, speaking to the media in Srinagar, Agha Ruhulla said invoking the PSA in such matters reflects the government’s real intentions and the way people of Kashmir are being treated. “When something can be resolved in a simple manner, and you still invoke an inhuman law like PSA to address it, it clearly shows the intentions behind it and how the people of Kashmir are being treated,” he remarked.
The NC leader maintained that the installation of the emblem at a place of worship was not only against Islamic sensitivities but also a violation of law and the Constitution. He demanded legal action against those responsible for placing the emblem inside the shrine. “The matter should be dealt with according to the law, not by resorting to forceful means or by invoking inhuman laws,” he said.
Agha Ruhulla pointed out that successive governments had carried out renovation and construction work at the Hazratbal shrine, but none had ever attempted to impose their political identity through foundation stones or emblems. “Every government has contributed to the development of Hazratbal, but nobody tried to use it for political symbolism,” he said.
Rejecting allegations that NC workers were behind the removal of the emblem, Ruhulla said the real question lies in why it was installed in the first place. “Let the people be asked on what basis they removed the emblem,” he said, emphasising that the use of the emblem in a religious place was unacceptable.
