Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 31: The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) BJP on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the National Conference (NC) for orchestrating an ill-conceived design to rename the Hindu iconic landmarks- ‘Shankaracharya Hill’ as ‘Takht-e-Suleman’ and the ‘Hari Parbat’ as ‘Koh-e-Miran’- in a mischievous attempt to Islamize the region.
National general secretary of the BJP Mahila Morcha, Deepti Rawat Bhardwaj while talking to reporters here said the attempt by the NC is a brazen move to Islamize the province by obliterating the long standing Hindu traditions of Kashmir. She accused the Congress of colluding with the NC to temper with what she referred to as the ‘Aastha Kendra’ (Centers of faith) of the Hindus.
“The manifesto of the NC talks about renaming our symbols of faith. The Abdullah family and Rahul Gandhi need to explain their intentions behind the move to the people of the State. What the NC is doing is betrayal of Kashmir’s rich cultural diversity and an attempt to impose a monolithic identity on the region,” Bhatnagar said, while maintaining that the BJP vows to oppose this move tooth and nail.
Former J&K Minister, Priya Sethi, flanked by Sanjita Dogra, the president of Mahila Morcha BJP J&K, asked NC chief and former CM, Farooq Abdullah if the move to rename the revered Hindu faith sites was to ‘please his masters elsewhere’.
“This is a dangerous strategy to divide people. BJP will not let this Islamikaran take place,” Priya Sethi said, adding that the timing of move by the NC also raises concerns given that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi during his visit to the Valley a few months ago had paid obeisance at the Shankaracharya Hill.
Hari Parbat is a historic where an ancient shrine and historic fort is situated with Hindu significance. She said Adi Shankaracharya, one of the most revered Hindu sages, visited Shankaracharya hill lock centuries ago, leaving an indelible mark on Kashmir’s cultural landscape.
Inferring that the NC was hitting at the roots of ‘Kashmiriyat’ and the Indian traditions, Deepti Rawat Bhardwaj said this isn’t the first instance when cold-blooded attempts were made to Islamize the region by targeting Hindus and their belief system.
“This is not an isolated incident but a continuation of their historical complicity in wiping out the Hindu heritage of Kashmir. Over three decades ago, Kashmiri Pandits were driven out of Kashmir. It led to an exodus of the community. They became refugees in their country,” she said while adding that the people of J&K can see through the ill-designs of both the NC and the Congress and would strengthen the BJP which banks its credentials on development, employment and peace in the region. “In the 1990s, when Pakistan-sponsored terrorism forced nearly five lakh Kashmiri Hindus to flee their homes, the NC was a mute spectator, effectively partnering in the ethnic cleansing of Hindus from Kashmir,” she said.
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