No sacred thread, No holy ash, No religious symbols, Policemen told

[Rudhran]

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Bangaluru Police personnel are warned against wearing or having any visible symbols like sacred ash, vermillion, sacred thread or any other religious symbols.

In Tamil Nadu, one can see police personnel who happened to be Ayyappa devotees visiting Sabarimala are allowed to grow beard and at times even exempted from wearing shoes.

Similarly, police personnel doing crowd regulation duty inside temples on important days can be found without wearing shoes.

Why link profession with religion…?

Bengaluru cops told to avoid wearing religious symbols like sacred threads to appear ‘neutral’


Visible signs of religion would make the police personnel look biased in certain occasions, which is exactly what the senior police officials want to avoid.

In order to make Bengaluru police personnel appear "neutral" and not biased, top officials have reportedly asked them not to have any visible signs of their religion on their bodies.

Kiran Parashar KM reports for The New Indian Express that a circular issued by the City Police Commissionarate asks the police personnel to avoid using religion symbols including sacred ash, vermilion, sacred thread and ear studs.

The report states that the circular was issued on April 5 and is particularly addressed to civil and city armed reserve police. Visible signs of religion would make the police personnel look biased in certain occasions, which is exactly what the senior police officials want to avoid.

According to the report, senior officials have been directed to warn the personnel of action if the directive is not adhered to. Apart from warning against wearing religious symbols, the circular also reportedly asks the personnel to wear their uniforms properly and maintain other etiquette including wearing polished shoe and getting a hair-cut on time.

D Kishore Babu, Deputy Commissioner of Police (VVIP security) was quoted as saying that the purpose of the asking the police personnel to avoid using religious symbols was to make them appear neutral and not biased.

"The circular has been issued in view of maintaining discipline as per the rule book. Being in disciplined force, we should all look neutral," he was quoted as saying.

Read more at: http://www.thenewsminute.com/articl...s-symbols-sacred-threads-appear-neutral-60061

 

[Rudhran]

While sikhs are allowed why not others...?

Is it performance or appearance which is important....?

Cop moves HC to grow beard

A civil police officer in Kochi belonging to the Muslim community has challenged the State Police Chief’s refusal to allow him to grow a beard as part of his religious belief.

The Kerala High Court on Monday admitted a writ petition filed by K. Riyas, who is posted at the Armed Reserve Camp at Ernakulam, and issued notice to the State government and the State Police Chief.

According to Mr. Riyas, he was earlier permitted to grow a beard during the holy month of Ramzan in 2012 at his request. Later in 2013, he sought permission from the Assistant Commandant of Police (Adjutant) to keep a permanent beard but the latter asked him to approach the State government as it was a religious issue.

In his representation to the State government, the petitioner maintained that Indian Air Force and Indian Navy personnel were allowed to grow beard on religious and medical grounds and, therefore, the government should allow him to sport a beard permanently.

The government forwarded his representation to the State Police Chief, who informed the petitioner that the request could not be considered as the police manual did not allow police officers to grow a beard.

But Mr. Riyas contended that the police manual did not have any provision banning the growing of a beard, either. Nor were there any statutes or service rules or government orders prohibiting State police personnel from growing a beard, his petition said, contending that the action of the State Police Chief amounted to denial of fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution, including the right to practise one’s religion.

He argued that when Sikhs working in police, military, and paramilitary force were allowed to grow their hair and beard for religious reasons, there was no reason as to why the same privilege could not be extended to a Muslim.

Read more at: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/Cop-moves-HC-to-grow-beard/article14596745.ece

 

[mraghavan]

It seems to have an anti-Tamil agenda.

 

[renuka]

Ideally looking neutral is the best if one is in essential services front line BUT this should apply to all religions...its not fair if the Sikh gets to wear his turban but a Hindu cant wear any symbol.

 

[Rudhran]

The constitution and other laws and policies protect religious freedom and, in practice, the government generally respected religious freedom; however, some state-level laws and policies restricted this freedom.

India is a secular republic, with all religions offered equality under the law. There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom by the government during the reporting period. Some state governments enforced existing "anticonversion" laws, and some local police and enforcement agencies in certain instances were not swift to counter communal attacks, including attacks against religious minorities.

The country is the birthplace of several religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, and home for thousands of years to Jewish, Zoroastrian, Muslim, and Christian communities.

We may have someone to argue that when it comes to work place, religion and belief should be pushed to the back seat.

What is the religious freedom offered to Government Servants…........?

Police personnel are executives to enforce I.P.C, Cr.P.C and other local and special laws, and to maintain law and order and to prevent and detect crimes.

They do have prescribed dress code and it is expected that they are being uniformed service supposed to give smart look while on duty.

And their role is restricted to filing cases against suspected accused and it is for the judges to hear both sides pass judgement.

It is just and necessary that the judges are to be neutral.

But prohibiting the police personnel who are only the enforcement machinery from wearing religious symbols while on duty can be reconsidered on the ground that such privileges are extended to police personnel of other religions.

There should not be any discrimination among the Police force based on religions, faiths and beliefs.

 

[cscmanisundar]

Why apply all rules and regulations only to hindus ??? How can the government allow the other religious people to follow their tradition without any restriction ??? The law must be equal to all. This is totally unfair.

 

[CHANDRU1849]

People are desperately finding so many ways and means to disintegrate Hindu Religion in all respects.

 

[tbs]

hi

all these rules ONLY FOR HINDUS.....this can't be in punjab....

 

[vgane]

Shame on Congress which is now trying to subdue the Hindus like the East India Company!!