Cops get dhoti-kurta uniform for Kashi shrine duty
VARANASI: THE TRUST, WHICH RUNS THE TEMPLE, HAD OBJECTED TO COPS IN UNIFORM DEPLOYED IN THE INNER SANCTUM AS A LEATHER BELT ALSO COMES WITH IT
Policemen deployed for crowd control in the inner sanctum of Varanasi’s famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple have started wearing dhoti-kurta in deference to the sentiments of devotees.
In place of the traditional khaki uniform, policemen started wearing a yellow kurta and dhoti and policewomen a white salwar and blue kurta starting on Monday.
The new dress code was introduced on the demand of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Trust, which runs the 18th century temple dedicated to the Lord Shiva.
The trust had objections to police personnel in uniform being deployed in the sanctum because a leather belt also comes with it.
“The new dress code will not be effective on personnel deployed on the premises (outside the sanctum) of the temple,” said Shailendra Kumar Rai, superintendent of police (security).
Rai said 18 constables have been provided with the new uniform. “They will manage the crowds of devotees around sanctum sanctorum in six-hour rotation duty,” he said.
Trustee Prasad Dixit said members of the trust had on several occasions raised with the local administration and police the prospect of replacing uniforms of police deployed in the sanctum with civilian clothes. “Eventually, it has been implemented and we welcome it.”
No one was able to confirm if it was the first time that police personnel in civilian clothes had been posted at a place of worship in the country.
Dixit said: “As far as I know, the dress code has been implemented for the first the time for police personnel managing the crowd in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.”
Local residents too welcomed the move. “In baba’s durbar the Lord’s presence), everyone should be in traditional style, be it a police officer, devotee, or anybody else,” said Mahesh Yadav, a Shiva devotee who resides near the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
The temple is situated in a high-security zone. Armed policemen on security outside the sanctum sanctorum will not come under the new dress code.