A missive directing the district authorities in Punjab to play hymns during the chief minister's visits in order to counter slogans by protesters drew flak from the opposition, prompting the authorities to roll it back citing "clerical error".
The office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Special Protection Unit had on Thursday issued a letter to the deputy commissioners, police commissioners and senior superintendents of police with the subject, “Regarding security arrangements during chief minister's visit.”
The letter, in Punjabi, stated that various bodies raise slogans during the chief minister's visits.
"Therefore, whenever there is a function/programme of the Punjab chief minister in your district and different organisations hold demonstrations, DJ be placed and gurbani shabad (hymns)/religious songs be played so the slogans are not heard.”
After the letter went viral on social media, Aam Aadmi Party MLA and leader of opposition in Punjab Assembly Harpal Singh Cheema slammed the government and dubbed the order “utterly shameful”.
He also uploaded the order on his twitter handle.
“How afraid you are @CHARANJITCHANNI? Trying to silence voice of protesting unions by such tactics shows your fear from them. You are not ready to face them and hear them. All you do is drama of being a sympathizer of all those who are fighting for their rights. Utterly Shameful,” Mr Cheema tweeted on Thursday.
Senior Congress leader and former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar said in a tweet, “It couldn't be true ! Sacrilegious and a mockery of democracy.”
After drawing severe criticism, the office of the IG came out with another missive on Thursday evening stating the “earlier letter is being withdrawn because of clerical mistake”.
“It is informed that when the Punjab chief minister is hearing pleas of the general public, the sound of loud speakers be lowered so that he does not face any inconvenience in hearing out the public,” the revised letter stated.
