Hyderabad: Did police stop you from celebrating Holi anywhere or interfere with your festivities, asked Hyderabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand to hate mongers.
A routine notification issued by the Police Commissioner in connection with Holi celebrations had kicked up a huge row with BJP with right-wing groups calling it ‘anti-Hindu’.
“I want to ask all those hatemongers, who posted so many things against ‘police restrictions’, Did police stop you from celebrating Holi anywhere or interfere with your festivities? Police never does that, it only takes precautions and facilitates so that everyone enjoys their festivals in an orderly manner,” Anand posted on X on Saturday, a day after Holi.
“What about Ganesh, Milad, Dassehra, Diwali, Eid, Moharram, Sri Rama Navami/Hanuman-Shivaji Jayanthi and the two-month long Bonalu? Did HCP ever interfere? Have they not worked hard to ensure that they are conducted peacefully? Do we not take action against those trying to create trouble? Without those notifications we cannot exercise those powers under city police act,” said the Police Commissioner.
The IPS officer mentioned that all other police forces of the country, including the UP police, issue these notifications in advance to manage public order. He attached a few such notifications issued by the Uttar Pradesh police. “We understand with what intention such statements are made by certain groups and ignore them because we have a job to do,” he added.
BJP and some right-wing groups had reacted with anger to a notification issued by Hyderabad and Cyberabad police commissioners in connection with Holi celebrations.
The police prohibited throwing colours or coloured water on unwilling persons, places and vehicles or smearing unwilling people with colour, on public roads and public places in Hyderabad.
Hyderabad PC Anand and Cyberabad PC Avinash Mohanty issued separate notifications in this regard in exercise of the powers vested in them under the Hyderabad City Police Act.
The PCs also prohibited movement of two-wheelers and other vehicles in groups on streets and public places disturbing peace and order and/or causing inconveniences, annoyance or danger to public.
Anand said the notification was a routine one given every year. He argued that these notifications are issued to empower the city police to initiate actions if needed.
Anand said Thursday night and Friday were tough for police; they were all deployed to ensure a peaceful Dahanam-Holi and Ramadan second Friday prayers. “As is our fate, 14,000 of us – from Homeguard to CP rank, missed celebrations of these festivals with our families and were on bandobust duties to ensure peace. Despite the heavy bandobust there were 4 incidents and the police acted swiftly to nip them in the bud. All in all, the festivities concluded peacefully across the city bringing a huge relief to the citizens,” he added.
The Commissioner noted that Holi and the second Friday of Ramadan were celebrated together after 35 years.
