ALLAHABAD: Activists of Akhil Bharatiya Teerth Purohit Mahasangh on Thursday protested against the Mela Police on Thursday, alleging objectionable comments about the Hindu community in a booklet published by the department.
The group, an offshoot of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, also handed a memorandum to Mela circle officer Nita Dwivedi. The memorandum was addressed to chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.
The memorandum states that the police published a booklet titled ‘Magh Mela Police arrangements – 2014’ and distributed copies of it among police officers to let them know of arrangements for the mela. According to the police, it was guide book for the police machinery for maintaining law and order in the mela area. However, on page 52 of the booklet, the words ‘dharmik paakhand’ (religious hypocrisy) have been used for the ceremony of Gaudan being observed at Sangam.
Objecting to these words and addressing protestors, VHP leader Pawan Srivastava said the police should perform their duty with responsibility to benefit society rather than comment on a religion.
He also demanded strict action against the police personnel responsible for making such a comment. The police should not become rulers but perform their duty as public servants, he added. The protestors also demanded strict action against the police officers concerned.
After talking to the delegation, Mela CO Nita Dwivedi assured them that the police had respect for all religions and in future no such comments would be published.