LUCKNOW: UP DGP Rajeev Krishna has sought an explanation from a district superintendent after a video showing police recruits giving a ceremonial guard of honour to a religious preacher in Bahraich sparked a major political controversy and allegations of a constitutional breach.
Taking to X, the UP police posted: “It has been clarified that the police parade ground must be used strictly in accordance with prescribed norms, solely for police training, discipline, and official ceremonies. In view of the violation of these prescribed norms, an explanation has been sought from the Superintendent of Police concerned.”
Earlier in the day, the Bahraich police had issued a justification for the event. In its statement, the district police said that Acharya Pundreek Goswami was invited for counselling, holding meditation and Yoga workshops for recruits since 28 of them had resigned, citing depression caused by rigorous mental and physical stress while going through the police training.
The Bahraich police authorities claimed that Goswami’s discourse was “helpful” as it “relieved the recruits from stress, and helped them building their confidence and devotion towards duty”.
The purported video showed the preacher being welcomed by Bahraich Superintendent of Police RN Singh and other policemen with a red carpet laid before him. The video also showed Goswami allegedly accepting a salute from the recruits with the SP standing beside him.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav in a post on X said the government was busy in a game of salute amid rampant crime and flourishing mafia rule. He wondered if someone would take cognizance of this matter.
Lok Sabha MP Chandrashekhar Azad called that incident an attack on the Constitution, “as salute and parade are symbols of sovereignty”.