‘Guard of honour’ for religious preacher by police recruits sparks outrage, UP DGP asks Bahraich SP to explain

Earlier in the day, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Azad Samaj Party president and MP Chandrashekhar had also reacted sharply on X over a ‘kathavachak’ being given a red carpet welcome, parade, and salute by policemen.

Soon after the uproar, the Bahraich police issued a statement justifying the march past for the religious preacher.

Bahraich police said that Acharya Pundreek Goswami was invited for counselling, holding meditation and Yoga workshops for recruits since 28 of them had resigned, citing depression caused by rigorous mental and physical stress while going through the police training.

The Bahraich police also claimed that Goswami’s address to recruits was “helpful” to the recruits as it “relieved them from stress, and helped in building their confidence and devotion towards duty”.

The purported video showed the preacher being welcomed by Bahraich Superintendent of Police RN Singh and other policemen with a red carpet laid before him. The video also showed Goswami allegedly accepting a salute from the recruits with the SP standing beside him. The event reportedly took place on Wednesday.

Hitting out at the BJP government, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said the government was busy in a game of salute amid rampant crime and flourishing mafia rule. He questioned whether someone would take cognizance of this matter.

Lok Sabha MP Chandrashekhar termed the incident an attack on the Constitution, “as salute and parade are symbols of sovereignty”.