Srinagar: The government of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday announced that the image of Sher-i-Kashmir (Lion of Kashmir) the former Chief Minister Sheikh Abdullah embossed on the Jammu & Kashmir Police medals will be replaced with the national emblem.
"In modification to the para 4 of the Jammu and Kashmir Police Medal Scheme, the Sher-i-Kashmir, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah embossed on side of the medal shall be replaced with 'The National Emblem of the Government of India' and the other side inscribed with the J&K state emblem shall be inscribed as 'Jammu and Kashmir police Medal for Gallantry' and Jammu and Kashmir Police Medal for Meritorious Service," stated Financial Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Raj Kumar Goyal said in the order.
The police medals were instituted in 2001 and are given on New Year, Republic Day and Independence Day in two categories -- gallantry and meritorious--Sher-I-Kashmir' was a reference to National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. The order comes four months after the J&K administration changed the nomenclature of the police medal for gallantry and police medal for meritorious service by removing the word 'Sher-i-Kashmir', a reference to former Chief Minister of J&K and National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.
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Political leaders oppose the move
Opposing the move, political leaders in Kashmir said, "Sheikh Sahib will continue to rule the hearts of the people." Salman Ali Sagar, a senior leader of the National Conference, said: "We are not opposing the national emblem, we are citizens of India. The problem is ideas and thoughts behind the move."
"No matter how hard they try, they cannot erase history. You can never forget the work of Sher-i-Kashmir. You can never erase it," he added.
People's Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti said, "Sheikh Sahib is a very tall personality. Removing a medal in his name does not affect his personality."
"He is the person who has played an important role in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. He served the people of Jammu and Kashmir for many years of his life. Today, after 70 years, if they want to destroy the identity of Sheikh Sahab, what would you call such people? This is the bankruptcy of their intellect and nothing else," she added.
Jammu and Kashmir party founder and president Altaf Bukhari called the move "dirty politics to remove one's image from somewhere."
“Sheikh Sahib was a great leader of Jammu and Kashmir and will remain so. No matter how many political differences we have, Sheikh Sahib was a powerful figure. I do not understand why these people want to hurt the feelings of the people," Bukhari further said.
