The deployment of police officers dressed as priests at the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi has sparked controversy, for violating the 'police manual'.
Statutory provisions and guidelines make it mandatory for police personnel to wear uniform while on duty. Though there are exceptions to the rule, functions like crowd control require personnel to be in uniform so that they're easily identifiable to the public.
However, male and female policemen have been deployed in the temple in priests attire on the orders of Varanasi Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal. While the male policemen are wearing dhoti-kurta, the female policemen are wearing salwar kurta.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav demanded Agarwal's suspension citing potential security risks.
Yadav in a post on X said, "According to which 'police manual' is it correct for policemen to be dressed as priests? Those who give such orders should be suspended. If tomorrow any 'thag' (fraudster) takes advantage of this and loots the innocent public, then what will the UP government and administration answer? Condemnable!".
Agarwal had earlier told reporters that people who come from far away places to have obeisance have regard for the priests and they often got hurt if they are pushed forward by the policemen.
"The duty in temple is different from other place as police have to manage different type of crowd here. The crowd here is not for creating law and order problem. The police is here to ensure easy darshan to people and help and guide them," Agarwal said.
"The devotees get hurt if being pushed by policemen, if same thing is done by priests they take it in a positive way. Following no touch policy, policemen are being deployed in priests attire," he added.