The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) administration’s latest measures to allegedly popularise Hindu hymns in schools, end felicitation of politicians at shrines and include Dogra monarch Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary as an official holiday have come under severe criticism from religious and political parties in the Kashmir Valley.
“Steamrolling J&K’s cultural and traditional practices, arresting religious leaders, prohibiting Sajad Nasheens [shrine caretakers] from performing their traditional duties and now banning ‘ Dastarbandi’ [turban-tying], which is a universal ceremony of giving blessings at religious places. Hypocrisy has no limits since BJP themselves leave no opportunity to get turban tying ceremony done whether at a mandir, dargah or gurudwara,” former Chief Minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said while posting of Prime Minister and L-G Manoj Sinha have turban-tying ceremonies.
Also Read | BJP-run J&K Waqf Board bans turban-tying ceremony of political figures at Valley shrines
