Srinagar, Sep 5 : Former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police S.P. Vaid on Friday reacted sharply to a comment by ruling National Conference (NC) MLA and party spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq about the national emblem engraved on an inauguration stone at Srinagar's Hazratbal shrine.

Tanvir Sadiq, NC MLA from Zadibal Assembly constituency and party spokesperson had said earlier on Friday on X: 'I am not a religious scholar but in 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 very belief. Sacred spaces must reflect only the purity of Tawheed, nothing else'.

S.P. Vaid, former J&K DGP criticised Tanvir Sadiq for his comment pertaining to the national emblem. Vaid said on X in reaction to Tanvir's comment, 'Tread carefully, Tanvir. Choose your words wisely. The National Emblem is part of India's Constitution, the very source of the rights you and all of us enjoy.

'Even the money you use carries it. There is no idol worship here. Twisting facts only fuels radical mindsets in Kashmir."

In a related development, Darakhshan Andrabi, chairperson of the Waqf board held a press conference here on Friday demanding stringent punishment to those hooligans, who earlier today, smashed the inauguration stone with stones outside the Hazratbal shrine to deface the national emblem engraved on the inauguration stone.

The inauguration stone had been erected at the Hazratbal shrine two days before when the shrine was decorated/renovated internally by the Waqf board spending crores of Rupees.

At the inauguration ceremony, Darakhshan Abdrabi had said that the decoration/renovation at the shrine was done by the Waqf board from its own resources without borrowing money from outside sources.

On Friday, thousands of devout Muslims gathered at the Hazratbal shrine to spend the night in prayer and penance to commemorate the birthday of the Prophet of Islam (Eid-e-Milad).

Every year, the event is the largest gathering of Muslims at the Hazratbal shrine to commemorate the birthday of the Prophet.

/IANS