Center’s big decision on Jammu and Kashmir: Sheikh Abdullah’s picture will be removed from the police medal, Ashoka Pillar’s symbol will be installed

The Central Government has taken a big decision regarding the Jammu and Kashmir Police Medal. The government has issued an order to remove the picture of Sheikh Abdullah from the medal. Sheikh Abdullah was the founder of the National Conference (NC) and the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. The Home Department has issued orders regarding the emblem of Ashoka Pillar on the medals.

In the order of RK Goel, Principal Secretary, Home Department, it has been said that Para 4 of the Jammu and Kashmir Police Medal Scheme has been amended. The embossed ‘Sher-e-Kashmir’ Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah on one side of the medal will be replaced with the National Emblem of the Government of India.

The name of the medal has also been changed.
Earlier also, the government had changed the name of ‘Sher-e-Kashmir Police Medal’ to Jammu and Kashmir Police Medal. Sheikh Abdullah is called ‘Sher-e-Kashmir’. Sheikh Abdullah was the father of Farooq Abdullah, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. When Farooq Abdullah became the CM of Jammu and Kashmir, he had put his photo on the medals given to policemen in memory of his father.

In 2019, the Jammu and Kashmir administration also removed Sheikh Abdullah’s birth anniversary from the list of government holidays.

Became Prime Minister of Kashmir in 1948
Sheikh Abdullah was the Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 1948 to 1953. He was also the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 1975-1982. Sheikh Abdullah had rejected Jinnah’s two-nation theory and extended his support for the merger of the state with India. There are many hospitals, stadiums, roads and other buildings across the state in the name of ‘Sher-e-Kashmir’.

National Conference protested
The National Conference has protested this decision of the Central Government. Party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar has called it a “history-erasing” decision. He said that we respect national symbols, but this decision shows hatred. The party’s provincial secretary Sheikh Bashir said the decision was taken to defame the National Conference and Sheikh Abdullah.

BJP supported the decision
Senior BJP leader and former Deputy CM Kavinder Gupta has supported this decision. He said that all such symbols of slavery should be abolished. The separatist mindset propagated by Sheikh Abdullah has been decimated.