Holi comes once a year, Friday Namaz 52 times: Sambhal cop's remarks spark row
Sambhal (UP), Mar 6 (PTI): A Sambhal police officer on Thursday said those uncomfortable with Holi colours should remain indoors as the festival comes once a year, sparking criticism from the opposition parties which demanded action against him saying his remarks show "bias" and are not befitting of an officer.
A peace committee meeting was held on Thursday at the Sambhal Kotwali police station in view of the upcoming Holi festival, which coincides with Friday prayers during the holy month of Ramzan.
"Holi is a festival that comes once a year, whereas Friday prayers take place 52 times in a year. If anyone feels uncomfortable with the colours of Holi, they should stay indoors on that day. Those who step out should have a broad mindset, as festivals are meant to be celebrated together," Sambhal Circle Officer (CO) Anuj Chaudhary told reporters after the meeting.
He emphasised the need for communal harmony and strict vigilance to maintain law and order. He said that peace committee meetings had been going on for a month at various levels to ensure smooth celebrations.
Chaudhary urged both communities to respect each other's sentiments and also appealed to people to avoid forcibly applying colours on those who do not wish to participate.
"Just as Muslims eagerly await Eid, Hindus look forward to Holi. People celebrate by applying colours, sharing sweets, and spreading joy. Similarly, on Eid, people prepare special dishes and embrace each other in celebration. The essence of both the festivals is togetherness and mutual respect," he said.
"This applies to both communities. If someone does not want colour, they should not be forced," he said.
Reiterating the administration's commitment to maintaining peace, he warned that any attempt to disturb communal harmony would be dealt with strictly.
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Sharvendra Bikram Singh condemned the remarks and said officers "should not act as BJP agents".
"The officers are imitating what they hear from the chief minister to stay in his good books. Action should be taken against those who make such statements and openly display their bias. This is condemnable, and officers should not act as BJP agents," he said.
Uttar Pradesh Congress Media Committee Vice Chairman Manish Hindvi said, "An officer, regardless of who they are, must be secular; only then can governance function properly in this country. Otherwise, it will lead to anarchy."
"If people from a particular religion have expressed discomfort with the playing with colours, the officer's duty is to ensure that there is no atmosphere of fear or insecurity.
"There should be an arrangement where both Holi is celebrated and Namaz is offered peacefully. Saying that Holi comes once a year while Friday prayers happen 52 times and that those who dislike colours should stay indoors is a political statement.
"Those who engage in vote-bank politics make such remarks. As an officer, one cannot make such statements; otherwise, tomorrow they might say they will only ensure the security of Hindus and not Muslims. The statement made by this police officer is highly condemnable. I believe action should be taken against him as per the officers' code of conduct," Hindvi added.
On November 24 last year, violence erupted in Sambhal's Kot Garvi locality during protests against a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era Jama Masjid. The incident led to the death of four people, while several others sustained injuries.
"Friday prayers take place 52 times while #Holi is celebrated once a year. If anyone in the #Muslim community feels use of Holi colour on them is profanity, it's better they don't step out of the homes"
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) March 6, 2025
- #UPPolice DSP #AnujChaudhary in #Sambhal, #UttarPradesh.#Holi2025 pic.twitter.com/qBv84qhPjw
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UP journalist booked over LPG queue visuals, elderly man dies same day outside gas agency
Lucknow: A television journalist in Uttar Pradesh’s Farrukhabad has been booked for allegedly circulating misleading visuals of people standing in queues outside a gas agency, even as a 70-year-old man died the same day after collapsing near an LPG outlet in the district.
An FIR was registered on March 13 at Kamalganj police station against Anubhav Mishra, a reporter with Noida-based Hindi Khabar channel, under Section 353(1)(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with public mischief through circulation of false content or rumours via electronic means.
Newslaundry quoted police as saying that the case relates to visuals showing long queues outside a gas agency in Kamalganj. The videos were aired and posted on social media by the channel. According to officials, the footage was two days old and did not reflect the current situation.
A senior police official said the images were misleading and created panic about an alleged LPG shortage. The administration has maintained that there was no shortage of cylinders in the district and that distribution was proceeding normally.
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On the same day the FIR was lodged, Mukhtiyar Ahmed, a 70-year-old zardozi worker from Lal Sarai in Farrukhabad, collapsed outside a Bharat Gas agency and was later declared dead at a private nursing home. Family members said he had stepped out early in the morning to collect a cylinder after failing to receive booking confirmation through his mobile phone a day earlier.
Relatives claimed he had been standing in a queue for nearly two hours before he fell ill. Videos circulating locally showed bystanders attempting to revive him before he was taken to hospital. He had been undergoing treatment for a heart ailment in Kanpur for the past six months, family members said.
District Supply Officer Surender Kumar said there was no cylinder shortage and disputed claims of long waiting hours. He said the deceased had reached the agency around 8.30 am and fell ill within a short span. Kumar added that due to a high volume of bookings, the server had temporarily failed to generate delivery authentication codes, but vendors were issuing paper receipts to consumers.
Earlier, based on inputs shared by Mishra, Hindi Khabar had posted a social media update referring to chaos over LPG supply in Farrukhabad and difficulties faced by consumers due to booking issues. The post was later taken down.
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Police sources said the FIR was filed after it was found that the visuals used were recorded on March 11 and were circulated on March 13 in a manner that could create unrest. Sub-Inspector Sandeep Kumar, the complainant in the case, stated that when police visited the spot, no such long queues were found.
Mishra worked as a reporter for five years. He said he had forwarded the visuals to his channel on the same day he received them and maintained that several agencies in the district were facing booking-related issues. He noted that if authorities found any factual inaccuracies, they could have sought clarification instead of registering an FIR.
The family of the deceased has not lodged any complaint. District Supply Officer Surender Kumar and Farrukhabad Superintendent of Police Aarti Singh along with other officers visited the family later in the day and a cylinder was delivered to their residence.
