Police administration in Sambhal is on alert regarding Holi and Ramadan, with continuous peace committee meetings being held to ensure festivals are celebrated peacefully. In the peace committee meeting, Circle Officer (CO) Anuj Chaudhary said that Jumma (Friday) comes 52 times a year, but Holi comes only once a year. Therefore, if people from the Muslim community feel that the colours of Holi will corrupt their religion, then they should stay at home on that day. He also appealed to people from both communities to maintain peace and warned those who might disturb the peace during festivals.
Sambhal CO Anuj Chaudhary said after Thursday’s peace committee meeting at the police station that peace committee meetings have been ongoing for a month. The Holi festival and Jumma fall on the same day, and Ramadan is also ongoing. Given that peace was disturbed in Sambhal three months ago, meetings are being held with greater vigilance and alertness. He said, “My straightforward message is that Jumma comes 52 times a year, but Holi comes only once a year. If Muslim community members feel their religion is corrupted by Holi colors, they should not leave home that day. If they do go out, they should have a big enough heart to accept that everyone is equal.”
“Just as the Muslim community waits all year for Eid, the Hindu community also waits for Holi. Holi is celebrated by applying colors, offering sweets, and embracing the spirit of ‘don’t mind, it’s Holi’. Similarly, during Eid, people make sewaiyan (sweet vermicelli), embrace each other, and visit one another. Both Hindu and Muslim communities should respect each other, and colours should not be forcibly applied to anyone – this applies to the Hindu community as well. If someone is trying to avoid it, colours should not be applied to them. The Sambhal administration will not tolerate any negligence from any side, and strict action will be taken against anyone who disturbs the peace,” he said.
In Novermber last year, violence erupted around the disputed structure (Jama Masjid) during the Advocate Commission survey. An enraged mob pelted stones at the police for several hours. Five people in the crowd reportedly lost their lives due to gunfire by miscreants.
