Mohd Irfan
The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board today banned the Dastar Bandi (turban tying) of political leaders at different shrines in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. This practise of Dastar Bandi was going on since several decades wherein we found that those ones influential in the corridors of power they being conferred with this Dastar Bandi at the shrines. But common ones who thronged shrines do not conferred with the same which the common devotees resented the move of those at the helm of affairs.
“J&K Waqf Board has received a scores of complaints in regards to the unethical practise of using platform of Dastar Bandi to appease influential people particularly political leaders through turban tying ceremony at Ziyarats/Khanqahs.The leaders continue to be invited to the shrines and their Dastar Bandi is carried out on the basis of party affiliation to promote political agenda at sacred places”, read order issued by the J&K Waqf board.
“The Chairperson J&K Waqf board has taken a very serious view of the matter and said shrines to be used only to promote religious activities and Dastar Bandi at such places can be carried out to felicitate people for their achievements in the religious fields”, the order further read. The Civil Society have hailed the innovative step taken by the J&K Waqf Board by banning the ‘unethical’ practise which differentiate between common devotees and the influential political leaders. This move of the J&K Waqf board under the Chairperson is really commendable one as the day since Chairperson Waqf board Dr Darakshana Andrabi taken over the reins of the J&K Waqf board she has bring reforms in the Waqf board.