Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) questions the order

“Such rules applicable only to Hindus. Full freedom is given to police personnel belonging to a particular community to follow their religious practices during their festival.” Raja Singh

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists along with Ayyappa devotees stormed the DGP office along with activists after the police issued an internal memo restricting policemen on duty to grow hair and beard while on duty. During the deeksha, devotees do not shave their beard and go for a haircut and also don black coloured clothing. They also go barefoot. The BJYM workers took out a rally and raised slogans against the memo. The BJYM is the youth wing of the BJP.

The protesters were prevented by police as they tried to force their way into the DGP office. Later, they submitted a memorandum addressed to DGP B Shivadhar Reddy and Additional DGP Mahesh M Bhagwat demanding that the memo be withdrawn.

As the sentiments of Hindus and Ayyappa Swamis are hurt following the memo which was issued to a sub-inspector, the police department should issue an official apology to the community, the BJYM said.

Necessary instructions should be issued to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future, and that religious practices of police personnel are handled with due respect within service rules, BJYM state president Ganesh Kunde said in the memorandum.

The internal memo issued to the sub-inspector of police, denying permission to wear black attire, grow beard or remain barefoot as part of 'Ayyappa Deeksha' while on duty, drew criticism from VHP and MLA Raja Singh on November 25.

Citing an earlier order, the memo issued recently by a police official stated that the permission cannot be granted to any member of the police force to wear a civil dress (black) or go barefoot for religious purposes while on duty.

It further said any police personnel wishing to observe 'Deeksha' can apply for leave. Taking exception to the memo, suspended BJP MLA T Raja Singh had asked Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and the police department whether such rules are applicable only to Hindus.

In a video message, Singh said full freedom is given to police personnel belonging to a particular community to follow their religious practices during their festival. A police official had said the memo was an internal communication of the police department which got circulated (to outsiders) and that it was being verified.