Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal Circle Officer (CO) Anuj Choudhary has been cleared of any wrongdoing after a police inquiry into remarks he made during the Holi and Eid festivals. The investigation, which concluded on Friday, found no evidence to support claims of misconduct.
The inquiry report, submitted by the Superintendent of Police (Law and Order), was based on statements collected from various officials and residents in Sambhal district, as well as members of the committee that had honoured CO Choudhary.
The controversy arose after Choudhary made comments during a peace committee meeting, where he said: "Holi comes once a year, Jumma comes 52 times. If you want to serve sevai, you must also eat gujiya."
These remarks were criticised, and a complaint was filed by Amitabh Thakur, alleging that the comments violated the Police Conduct Rules. However, after a thorough investigation, the allegations were found to be unsubstantiated.
Earlier, on March 6, CO Choudhary had sparked further discussion when he suggested that people who were uncomfortable with the colors of Holi should stay indoors. He explained that while Holi is celebrated once a year, there are 52 Fridays, or Jummas, in a year.
Choudhary emphasised that if members of the Muslim community did not want to participate in the celebration by getting colored, they were welcome to stay inside.
He stated, “We have requested that the Muslim community, if they cannot accept being coloured, should not come to places where Holi is being celebrated. There are 52 Jummas in a year, but only one day for Holi. Hindus wait for Holi the whole year, just like Muslims wait for Eid.”
Choudhary further clarified that if Muslims chose to go outside during Holi, they should be “big-hearted” enough not to object to getting colored. He added that both Hindus and Muslims should be able to celebrate their festivals in their own way without causing any issues.
Following the investigation, the police found no breach of conduct in Choudhary's statements or actions, leading to the clean chit.
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