There was a peace committee meeting on Thursday at Sambhal Kotwali police station to take into account the upcoming Holi festival which overlaps with the Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramzan.
A Sambhal police officer on Thursday stated that those who are not comfortable with Holi colours should stay indoors as the festival is celebrated once a year, attracting criticism from the opposition parties which called for action against him stating his comments reflect “bias” and are not appropriate for an office
A peace committee meeting was organized on Thursday at Sambhal Kotwali police station in connection with the Holi festival approaching on Friday during the holy month of Ramzan.
“Holi is an annual festival, while Friday prayers are conducted 52 times a year. If anybody doesn’t feel good about the colour of Holi, then he/she must remain indoors on the day. Anyone going outdoors should have a large heart as it is time to celebrate the festivals together,” Sambhal Circle Officer (CO) Anuj Chaudhary said in a media conference after the meeting.
He urged people to foster communal harmony and tight vigil so that law and order could be ensured. He stated that there were peace committee meetings for a month at every level to achieve smooth celebrations. Chaudhary exhorted both groups to respect each other’s sentiments as well as appealed to people not to forcefully put colours on individuals who do not want to cooperate.
“Just as Muslims wait eagerly for Eid, Hindus wait for Holi. People celebrate by putting on colours, distributing sweets, and distributing happiness. In the same way, on Eid, people cook special food and hug each other in celebration. The spirit of both the festivals is togetherness and respect for each other,” he said. This holds for both communities. If a person does not want colour, then they should not be forced,” he said.
Reiterating the government’s pledge to uphold peace, he cautioned that any effort to disrupt communal peace would be strictly dealt with.
