LUCKNOW: In the wake of the upcoming festivals of Eid and Akshay Tritiya, the Uttar Pradesh government has issued guidelines putting restrictions on processions, religious or others, making prior permission mandatory. UP CM Yogi Adityanath issued the guidelines amid the recent incidents of communal flare-up in various parts of the country including the national capital Delhi.
While issuing the directives, the UP CM gave a nod to the use of microphones in religious programmes but with the condition that its sound should not be heard outside the premises causing inconvenience to others. It may be recalled that recently in Aligarh, there was a clash between some right wing organisations including Hindu Mahasabha and the district administration over the mounting of loudspeakers at 21 crossings across the city and playing Hanuman Chalisa over them.
CM Yogi, late on Monday night, held a high-level meeting with police officials through video-conferencing, reviewing the law and order situation in the state. During the meeting, he instructed the police to allow only traditional religious processions and refrain from giving permission for new events.
At the meeting, the CM said that many religious festivals were celebrated in the state recently peacefully in an atmosphere of harmony. “There are many important religious festivals in the coming days. The festival of Eid and Akshaya Tritiya are likely to be on the same day [May 3]. In such a situation, considering the current environment, the police will have to be extra cautious and sensitive,” said the CM.
Going to the next level, CM Yogi asked the police officials, right from station house officers to additional director general level, to establish communication with religious leaders and eminent people in their areas in the next 24 hours. Instructions were also given to ensure that religious programmes took place at the designated spot and not on the roads to disrupt the traffic. The CM said that trouble makers who were trying to spoil the atmosphere should be dealt with strictly. “There should be no place for such people in a civilised society,” he asserted.
Cancelling the leave of all police personnel from the level of Police Commissioner to Police Station Head till May 4, the CM directed officers, who are currently on leave, to return to their place of posting within the next 24 hours. He also stated that the Tehsildar, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, SHO, etc. should rest at night in the area of their deployment, even if they need to rent an accommodation for it.