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Circle Officer (CO) Anuj Chaudhary, who stirred a controversy with his statement comparing the frequency of Holi and Friday prayers, defended his remarks on Wednesday and called for communal harmony.
During a peace committee meeting at the Sambhal Kotwali police station on Wednesday, Circle Officer (CO) Anuj Chaudhary addressed the controversy head-on. He said that his aim was to ensure peaceful coexistence and his remarks were intended to be impartial.
"If my statement was so wrong, then they should have gone to the high court and the Supreme Court. Why didn't they get me punished?" CO Chaudhary questioned without taking any name. He asserted that he spoke equally for both Hindu and Muslim communities.
The controversy stemmed a few days before Holi when Chaudhary said that Holi is a festival that comes once a year whereas Jumma namaz takes place 52 times a year. He said that anyone who feels uncomfortable with the colours of Holi should stay indoors on that day.
CO Chaudhary clarified that his intention was not to offend but to emphasise the importance of respecting festivals of all religions.
"Our aim has always been that wherever we live, there should not be any such disturbance of peace," he said.
He further emphasised the need for mutual respect and participation in each other's celebrations. "If you want to feed Eid's seviyan, then you will also have to eat gujiya. Both sides should eat gujiya. But here it gets messed up. When one side is not eating and the other side is eating, then the brotherhood ends here," he said.
CO Chaudhary also addressed allegations of biased police action following recent violence in Sambhal. He assured that arrests were being made based on evidence and thorough investigations were ongoing. He urged against politicising the issue and reiterated his commitment to impartiality.
"We are not doing politics and neither do we have any intention of doing politics," he said.