Varanasi Cops Don Priests' Attire in Kashi Vishwanath Temple; Akhilesh Fumes

Varanasi: Male and female policemen deployed at the renowned Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi were seen like priests, donning 'gerua' (orange) clothes adorned with 'rudraksha mala' (necklace made from sacred rudraksha seeds) and 'tripund' (three lines made of sandalwood or ashes on the forehead). The male officers were dressed in dhoti-kurtas, while the female officers were in salwar kurtas.

‘Akhilesh Yadav Fumes’

The decision has sparked fresh controversy, drawing strong criticism from Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav. Yadav expressed concern over the potential security risks of allowing officers to wear attire other than their standard uniforms.  He also demanded the suspension of the officer, who ordered the deployment of cops in the attire of priests.

"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 'thug' [fraudster] takes advantage of this and loots the innocent public, then what will the UP government and administration answer? Condemnable!" Akhilesh Yadav wrote on X, sharing a news clip.  

‘Devotees Get Hurt If Pushed by Cops’

On the other hand, Varanasi Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal defended the move citing concerns about crowd management and the safety of devotees. He argued 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 the temple is different from other place as police have to manage different types of crowds here. The crowd here is not for creating law and order problems. 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 the 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.