Tazia processions in Lucknow and across the state during the month of Moharram month beginning from August 10 will not be permitted as per Covid protocol. In Lucknow, besides the tazia procession on the first Ashura, or tenth day of Moharram, nine other processions are organised by the Shia community to mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussain and his companions. Moharram is observed by Shias for 68 days while the Sunni community takes out tazia procession on Ashura.
Meanwhile, the guidelines issued by the Lucknow police commissioner for Moharram sparked off controversy over the controversial content in the circular. The circular has mentioned over four decades-old incidents of violence and clashes between the Shia and Sunni sects during Moharram. Shia clerics, terming the circular as a deliberate attempt and conspiracy to disturb peace in Lucknow, demanded an apology from the police and withdrawal of the circular.
The Shia community strongly protested against the circular which gives a detailed account of the religious background of the dispute between the Shia and Sunni communities during the month of Moharram, the first month of Islamic calendar, and recitation of tabarra by Shias and madhe sahaba by Sunnis.
The circular erroneously described Moharram as a “festival”. For the Shia community, Moharram is a 68-day-long period of mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Hussain and his companions, including his sons and other close kin, in the battle of Karbala in Iraq.
Maulana Saif Abbas said several unfounded charges had been levelled against the Shia community. Moreover, he said, “there is no justification for quoting the over four decade old instance of violence during Moharram”. He said Moharram is not a festival but a mourning period.
As per the guidelines issued by the DGP and Lucknow commissioner of police, the police have been directed to ensure compliance of the Covid protocol without fail during Moharram. As per an official communiqué, the police have been asked not to give permission to any kind of procession in view of the coronavirus pandemic and to hold dialogue with the religious heads to ensure that Covid protocol is followed.
The cops have been asked to work in sync with the revenue officials to study in detail the places where a dispute cropped up in the past and this year. Accordingly, they should initiate action to resolve the issues and to end the sensitivity of these places.
The cops should read the festival registers available at the police stations and also the entries in register number 8. In no condition, the police should allow a new route/new tradition for procession. The police should update the list of the anti-social/communal elements and should initiate preventive measures against them.
The senior officials should instruct their subordinates to go instantly to the place to probe a dispute and senior officials should visit the place after the completion of groundwork. The officials should visit the routes and the places where disputes had arisen in the past in case of necessity. Circle officers and station house officers should take the smallest incident with seriousness and take strict action to end the communal sensitivity and dispute at the site.
The police have been asked to take help from religious heads by holding meetings of peace committees.
The officials have been asked to deploy adequate force in the areas which are communally sensitive or came under containment zones, They have been asked to initiate checking at public places, railways and bus stations, sensitive and religious places, deploy dog squads, bomb disposal and detective squads, anti-terrorists squad for intensive checking, checking of suspect vehicles by putting barriers provided it does not hinder traffic movement. They have also been asked to keep a watch on rumours-mongers, ban carrying of weapons show and take strict action against those carrying illegal weapons, and to ensure safety of women by deploying adequate numbers of cops, including women police, in civvies.
The district police chiefs have been asked to ensure availability of body protecting safety gears for policemen, ensure that CCTV are functioning, keep a hawk eye on social media posts and initiate quick action in case of need.
