Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath ,on Wednesday, chaired a high-level review meeting with senior officials to ensure robust law and order, communal harmony, and appropriate public amenities during the upcoming festivals in Uttar Pradesh.
The chief minister issued clear directives to police commissioners, divisional commissioners, district magistrates and senior superintendents of police across the state, that all religious events must be conducted with devotion, safety, and social harmony, and the administrative machinery must work with full sensitivity and alertness.
Adityanath noted that the sacred Hindu month of Shravan will be observed from July 11 to August 9, during which traditional Kanwar Yatra, Shravani Shivratri, Nag Panchami, and Raksha Bandhan will be celebrated. Additionally, Jagannath Rath Yatra is expected between June 27 and July 8, and Muharram between June 27 and July 7.
"This entire period is highly sensitive in terms of law and order, healthcare, sanitation, education, and disaster management. Hence, all related departments and district administrations must work with coordination and accountability," Adityanath said in an official statement.
He added that the districts bordering Uttarakhand, as well as Ghaziabad, Meerut, Bareilly, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Kashi, Barabanki, and Basti, must exercise special vigilance and inter-state coordination along with prompt rebuttals and dissemination of accurate information to counter fake news and rumours.
He described the “display of weapons” and the “politicisation of religious symbols” at religious gatherings as “completely unacceptable,” warning that such actions threaten communal harmony and must be strictly banned.
Prioritising pilgrims' convenience, Adityanath instructed that non-vegetarian food or similar items should not be sold in the open along the Kanwar routes. Cleanliness, sanitation, street lighting, drinking water, toilets, and basic medical facilities must be ensured on the yatra paths, he added.
With the Kanwar Yatra drawing large crowds, the districts were directed to stay alert with the potential threats of miscreants blending in under disguise. The Panchayati Raj and Urban Development Departments have been instructed to ensure cleanliness, drainage, and traffic management in and around temples in villages, towns, and cities in advance.
Adityanath reiterated that while the religious sentiments of devotees are of utmost importance, there should be no room for mischief.
The chief minister issued clear instructions regarding Muharram as well stating that all necessary preparations must be made in advance, learning from incidents of previous years.
While addressing the sensitive issue of conspiracies to incite caste-based conflict, he cited the incidents in Kaushambi, Etawah, and Auraiya as proof of certain disruptive elements spreading caste hatred in the state.
Issuing a warning, he asserted, "Such malicious attempts are against the interests of the state and will not be tolerated under any circumstances. These conspiracies must be exposed immediately, the culprits publicly identified, and the strictest action taken against them."
He directed the administration to act swiftly and within the law, without waiting for specific instructions from the government.
