Yogi Adityanath told police that Janmashtami celebrations should not only be grand, but decent too
Highlights
- Yogi Adityanath wants the police to keep the celebrations clean
- In past, police units accused of celebrating with women dancers, alcohol
- Amit Shah countered criticism over celebrations amid Gorakhpur tragedy
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is good with policemen in the state celebrating Krishna Janmashtami in a grand manner, but wants them to stay within the limits of decency and decorum. The Chief Minister's directive to state's police chief Sulkhan Singh came against the backdrop of several instances in the past where local police units celebrated the religious festival with parties, complete with women dancers and alcohol.
This time, Mr Adityanath wants the police to keep the celebrations clean.
A statement by the Uttar Pradesh government also targetted the former Akhilesh Yadav government that adopted a hands-off approach on the manner in which police celebrated the festival and cracked the whip only when instances of inappropriate behaviour were reported in the media.
"Krishna Janmashtami is an important festival and the police should organise it not only in a grand way but also with complete decency," Chief Minister Adityanath said in his missive to the police.
Following the diktat, DGP Singh has written to all district police chiefs, superintendents of police in the Railways and commandants of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) to adhere to the instructions.
The directive was, however, widely perceived to be a direction from the saffron-robed politician to the police to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami at a time Uttar Pradesh is mourning the death of children in Gorakhpur. The chief minister who had travelled to his home district due to the deaths will be staying back to oversee the celebrations at the Gorakhnath Math of which he is head priest.
BJP president Amit Shah countered criticism over Krishna Janmashtami celebrations in UP.
"Everybody is sad that children have died. But Krishna Janmashtami has its own place as is August 15. Yogi ji has not said in this reference that you celebrate the festival even though children have died. Krishna Janmashtami is being observed. It will be observed across the country and in the same manner it will be in UP too based on people's belief. It is not a government festival," Mr Shah said, according to news agency Press Trust of India .