RANCHI/PATNA: Police had to swing into action in Bihar and Jharkhand for preventing disturbance of communal harmony at a time when the entire country is under the grip of a pandemic.
Police were trolled in Jamshedpur after a video went viral showing stalls with banner — ‘Vishwa Hindu Parishad Ki Anumodit Hindu Fal Dukaan’ (‘fruit shop approved by VHP). After netizens pointed out that no action was taken against banners like ‘Jhatka’ meat shop and ‘Muslim Hotel’, Jamshedpur SSP Anup Birhtare on Sunday said that notices were served warning all such shopkeepers not to put up any such banner.
In neighbouring Bihar, the Nalanda police lodged an FIR on the basis of a complaint by Biharsharif BDO that some people ordered shopkeepers to put up saffron flags at their shops. Biharsharif BDO Rajiv Ranjan, in his complaint, wrote that he found volunteers requesting people to buy goods from the shops with saffron flags. The BDO added that some volunteers were also putting up saffron flags at the shops.
“Such action could lead to disturbance of communal harmony. Later, a tweet was traced in which a similar appeal was made to the people, besides asking them to share snapshots of saffron flags put up at the shops,” he wrote.