Hoisting religious flags banned by Raj govt; section 144 declared in Udaipur

Jaipur: Rajasthan government's two-month ban on hoisting religious flags in public areas without permission across the district has resulted in Section 144 being enforced in Udaipur.

If any flag is visible anywhere in a government structure, a park, or an intersection, legal action will be taken. District Magistrate and Collector Tarachand Meena has issued a directive and put restrictions in place.

This order of the district collector is being linked to the arrest of five youths with saffron flags in Kumbhalgarh after the religious meeting of Dhirendra Krishna Shastri of Bageshwar Dham at Gandhi Ground on March 23.

Police had filed a case against him under various sections, including hurting religious sentiments, for his statement of replacing flags of a particular colour with saffron flags at Kumbhalgarh Fort. After the statement, five youths who reached Kumbhalgarh Fort carrying saffron flags were arrested by the police.

Although they have been released, Hindu organisations have been continuously protesting after the case was filed against Shastri. In such a situation, Udaipur Collector has invoked Section 144.

However, Meena says that the prohibition has nothing to do with Pt. Shastri or anyone else. They were about to implement prohibitory orders even before the meeting of Bageshwar Dham, which has now been implemented.

Collector Meena implemented prohibitory orders for two months. It has been said in the order that attempts are being made by individuals and their groups to influence the law and order situation during religious events by hoisting flags with religious symbols on public property such as government buildings, government undertakings, board-corporation buildings, community buildings, parks, circles built at intersections, electricity-telephone poles. In this case, there is a possibility of disruption of law and order and social harmony. In this case, under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, prohibitory orders have been imposed to ban the installation of flags with religious symbols in the entire urban and rural areas of the district without competent approval.

Meanwhile, Udaipur MP (BJP) Diya Kumari has termed this order as an attempt to violate the right of common people to religious freedom in the name of law and order.

"This order of the Udaipur administration against the religious flag is the latest example of the appeasement policy of the Congress government in Rajasthan. This is an attempt to violate the right of common people to religious freedom in the name of law and order," Diya Kumari said.

Moreover, the locals said, "This is the festive time when people celebrate Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti with full fervour. This is an infringement to their right to celebrate festivals."

Taking cognisance of the statements and considering them provocative, an FIR was lodged against him. Shastri had asked the gathering to replace the green flags with saffron flags.

With inputs from IANS

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