New Delhi, Sep 7 : The barbaric stone attack on India's national emblem in Kashmir's revered dargah has shocked the nation. Does the national emblem have a religion? Perhaps this question, never seriously contemplated in all the decades since India became a Republic, has now surfaced as a disturbing reality in the 79th year of Independence.

The emblem, adopted on January 26, 1950, features four lions standing back-to-back on a circular abacus, with a Dharma Chakra at its centre. Sculptures of an elephant, horse, bull, and lion, separated by Dharma Chakras, adorn the abacus. Below it, the motto 'Satyameva Jayate (Truth Alone Triumphs)' is inscribed. Where is religion in all this? Do not all faiths proclaim that truth alone triumphs?

What happened in Kashmir on September 5 is not merely a religious controversy -- it is the manifestation of a festering wound that resurfaces from time to time, aided by sinister forces backed by Pakistan and abetted by certain local elements in Kashmir. Some operate under the garb of religious, social, or political activism, and some are even leaders.

The national emblem was engraved on a plaque outside the main prayer hall of the shrine, which had been under renovation for several months. It was reopened to the public after a ceremonial inauguration by Dr. Syed Darakhshan Andrabi, Chairperson of the Jammu & Kashmir Waqf Board. Crowds thronged the renovated shrine, marvelling at its refurbished look.

Alongside traditional artistry, the shrine now boasts a modern digital electrical network, central air-conditioning, and advanced sound and surveillance systems. This was the first major interior transformation since 1968, blending modernity with Kashmir's cultural heritage.

All seemed well, with congratulatory messages pouring in -- until Friday, when a group vandalised the emblem while raising religious slogans, many filming the act.

Soon after, NC Chief Spokesperson and MLA Tanvir Sadiq posted on social media: "I'm not a religious scholar, but in Islam, idol worship is strictly forbidden -- the gravest of sins. The foundation of our faith is Tawheed. Placing a sculpted figure at the revered Hazratbal Dargah goes against this belief. Sacred spaces must reflect only the purity of Tawheed, nothing else."

Such an immediate statement, one that touched religious sensitivities, inevitably stoked emotions. The Waqf Board chief condemned the act and blamed the NC MLA, calling for an FIR against Sadiq and stating that those responsible should be treated as militants.

The ruling NC also issued a statement reinforcing Sadiq's claims of religious violations: "'It is a matter of grave concern that practices contrary to the fundamental principles of Islam, such as the use of pictorial or symbolic depictions of living beings, are being introduced inside the sacred Hazratbal shrine -- the spiritual heart of our people where thousands gather daily for prayers. In Islam, the principle of Tawheed clearly prohibits such representations. For devotees, this is not a small matter but a direct affront to their deeply held religious sentiments."

The NC also attacked the Waqf chief: "The Waqf is not the personal estate of any individual' We now witness an unelected individual, with no mandate from the people of Jammu and Kashmir, crowning herself inside holy shrines..."

This clearly signals that the NC seeks to influence the Waqf Board's control while fuelling fear among Muslims in the Valley.

It is not the first time the NC has turned non-issues into political waves to ride on. History is full of instances where the party has leveraged India'Pakistan politics to maintain its grip on power. From its founder, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, to Farooq Abdullah and now Omar Abdullah, decades of such politics have kept Kashmir on edge, never allowing it to stabilise.

In 1947, Sheikh Abdullah sided with India after failing to strike a deal with Jinnah. But instead of working for full integration, he leaned towards making J&K a quasi-independent state. In 1958, he launched the Plebiscite Front, led by his aide Mirza Afzal Beg, which went from village to village raising passions for an independent J&K, planting the seeds of separatism.

That seed grew into a tree in the late 1980s when Farooq Abdullah was Chief Minister. Under his tenure, terrorism took root, and Kashmiri Hindus -- around 7 lakh at the time, less than two per cent of the population -- were driven out after killings and threats.

Thirty-five years later, and six years after the abrogation of Article 370, the NC seems once again to be playing on religious sentiments. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah did not denounce the attack but questioned the use of the emblem on the mosque plank.

The valley is still in its sensitive state following the gruesome Pahalgam attack, and now the vandalising of the national emblem is another grisly reminder of the truth that there is a lot under wraps in Kashmir. Had the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits been investigated, many prominent names might have been exposed.

The fact remains: every country, including Muslim-majority ones, has its own national emblem, yet none gives it a religious spin -- let alone desecrates it. Why then was the emblem vandalised in a Kashmiri shrine? Why was it given a religious colour? This appears to be a deliberate attempt to disturb Kashmir's fragile peace.

Pakistan faced a massive defeat and shame in Operation Sindoor and now, through elements in Kashmir, is trying to infuriate the atmosphere again on the basis of religion. And NC's politics could give the pass once again.

(Deepika Bhan can be contacted at deepika.b@ians.in)

/IANS