As India celebrates Eid-ul-fitr during the auspicious period of Navratri, Uttar Pradesh has made elaborate security arrangements across mosques for ‘namaz’. Eid prayers are expected to be offered at an estimated 37,018 mosques and Eidgah across the state on Thursday, April 11.
UP Police additional director general (ADG), law and order, Amitabh Yash said that police personnel will be deployed in civilian clothes with body-worn cameras and binoculars to keep vigil on every activity during the prayers.
Eid 2024: Preparations by UP Police to Avoid Untoward Incident
• As many as 481 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), Special Security Force (SSF) and State Disaster Response Force have been deployed.
• At least 241 companies of PAC, 229 companies of CAPF, eight companies of SSF and three companies of SDRF have been deployed across the state.
• Drone cameras, high resolution CCTV cameras have been installed at sensitive spots to keep a vigil during the prayers.
• As many as 4,800 two-wheeler and four-wheeler police response vehicles have been deployed for continuous patrolling.
• As many as 1,785 quick response teams equipped with riot control equipment have been deployed at sensitive points identified across the state.
Eid-ul-fitr Namaz: UP Divided into Sensitive Spots, Social Media Under Scanner
• 2,912 sensitive spots or hot spots have been identified across the state.
• UP ADG said that these hot spots have been distributed under different zones and sectors and the force deployment has been done accordingly.
• Uttar Pradesh police has also intensified vigil on different social media platforms and stern action will be taken against those involved in posting objectionable content that may disturb law and order or incite communal sentiments.
Eid Al-Fitr: UP Police Meets Muslim Clerics to Ensure Peace
Amitabh Yash said that as many as 2,403 meetings have been held with civil defence, clerics, peace committees and other responsible citizens to maintain coordination during the festival.
He added that senior police officials also held meetings with the managers and organisers of these religious gatherings to ensure peace and communal harmony during the prayers.
Why Extra Vigil in Uttar Pradesh on Eid?
The state has in past seen clashes during the festival. The 1980 Moradabad riots were the first major instance of communal clashes in UP post-Partition, which took place on 13 August on Eid-ul-Fitr.
The riots began at the Eidgah where over 50,000 people had gathered for namaz, and were reportedly triggered by the presence of a pig — considered ‘haram’ in Islam — near the crowds, which had spilled well beyond the Eidgah.
Over 80 people were killed and 120 injured in the violence, and the stray clashes that followed finally subsided in November.
According to the Justice Mathura Prasad Saxena report, originally submitted to the Uttar Pradesh government in 1983, the riots were the handiwork of two Muslim leaders, and neither the RSS, nor the BJP (founded April 1980), were involved.
The report blames the riots on Shamim Ahmed of the Muslim League and Hamid Hussain alias Ajji, the leader of the Khaksar-e-haq Party (also known as the ‘belchha’ or ‘spade’ party).” Both the leaders have since passed.
Reports suggested that besides Eid-ul-fitr, violence was also witnessed on eid-e-milad-un-nabi — the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad. A procession used to be taken out on the day earlier, but was banned in the state in mid-1980s following violent clashes between Shia and Sunni sects of the Muslim community.
Last year itself communal tensions were witnessed in Kushinagar after stones were hurled during a religious procession on Eid-e-Milad. As many as 19 people were arrested in connection with the incident, police said.
According to Population Census of 2011, Uttar Pradesh ranks sixth in terms of Muslim population with 19% of the state’s population following Islam.
Eid-ul-Fitr 2024: UP’s Changed Law and Order After Yogi Adityanath’s Arrival
Last year on Eid, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had said that there are no riots in the state and the law and order situation is under control.
“Today, it’s Eid, and there are no riots in the state. No one’s commute is affected. The law and order situation is under control. There’s peace, and this is because everyone knows that the law treats everyone equally. This is only possible if there is a sensitive administration,” the CM had said at an event in Azamgarh.
CM further appreciating the law and order, claimed that “there is no fear and anarchy. This kind of administration will become a symbol of public faith. Nuisance has turned into celebrations today.”
CM Yogi had also cited figures from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to prove that no communal riots broke out during his tenure, while they had almost doubled from previous regime during the government of the Samajwadi Party.
In 2022 he had presented a five year report card of his government, and said that crime graph came down under his regime.
“In the BSP regime (2007-2012), there were 364 riots. During the SP tenure (2012-2017), there were over 700 big riots in which hundreds were killed. “Since 2017, no riots or terrorist activities have taken place in the state. Yet, the government isn’t quiet. We are building an Anti-Terrorism Squad Centre at sensitive places in view of national security,” he had told reporters.
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