'Who gave orders?': Akhilesh Yadav after cops seen wearing priest attire at Kashi Temple

Police officers are now dressing up as priests at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi to handle the crowds. This caused some trouble, with Akhilesh Yadav from the Samajwadi Party criticizing the Uttar Pradesh government for the decision.

"According to which 'police manual' is it correct to have policemen dressed as priests? Those who give such orders should be suspended. If tomorrow any thug takes advantage of this and loots the innocent public, then what will the UP government and administration answer? Condemnable," his X post, roughly translated from Hindi, read.

Varanasi Police Commissioner Mohit Aggarwal told Good News Today that they're having police officers pose as priests to handle the big crowds at the temple. He said it's not just about managing the crowds, but also making sure visitors can see the deity well during their temple visit.

"Devotees from various parts of the country visit the temple every day. We want them to go back with a positive feeling and achieve a sense of fulfilment regarding their visit. However, as the crowd is also extreme on a daily basis, we need to ensure that it keeps moving so that everyone can have a good glance at the deity," he told Good News Today.

Mohit Aggarwal mentioned that devotees often complain about police officers being rude, which makes them leave the temple feeling bad.

"Devotees often complain about police officers pushing them during their temple visit. However, they easily listen to priests as they feel respect and warmth towards them," the Varanasi Police Commissioner explained the decision behind the initiative.

Mohit Aggarwal mentioned that police officers dressed as priests will not touch devotees, aiming to address complaints about rude behavior like pushing. Other officers, in regular uniform, are stationed outside the main area of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple to keep the crowd moving smoothly.

Aggarwal added that to enforce the 'no-touch policy' and manage the crowd, a rope circle will be formed during VIP movements. This will naturally maintain distance among devotees, preventing any pushing or crowding.

He mentioned that police officers assigned to temple duty will receive three days of training. They'll learn to speak politely and basic English to assist non-Hindi speaking devotees. Additionally, a helpdesk will be set up inside the temple by the district administration.