UP flower shower no rosy picture

A senior cop from Yogi Adityanath’s state, who showered rose petals from a chopper on Kanwariyas, has defended his action saying it should not be given a religious hue. Also, it was a symbolic gesture and a part of Indian tradition and customs. It does not mean police are pandering to the sentiments of a person walking on the road.

In a video that has gone viral, UP ADG can be seen sitting inside the helicopter and showering Kanwarias with 'blessings' while on surveillance duty.

According to one media report, the UP government has spent over Rs 14 Lakh on the hiring of the chopper. Incidentally, it was strictly intended for keeping aerial surveillance of the route that the pilgrims take.

Most denizens of cyber space, however, saw the indulgence more as dereliction of duty. Also, this is not the only instance of the Yogi Adityanath government bending backwards to accommodate the Kanwariyas.

For instance, the traffic on the busy National Highway 27 had been diverted for the last few days for the pilgrims. Also, meat shops and restaurants selling nonvegetarian food were asked to down shutters along the ‘sanitised’ route.

Coming close on the heels of Kanwarias vandalising a car on a Delhi road, even as cops looked on, the chopper

episode has not gone down well with some social media users.

Kanwarias are the devotees of Lord Shiva. Each year, at this time of the year, scores of these devotees commence their pilgrimage on foot on the first day of the Hindu month, Saavan. They walk with heavy pots filled with Ganga water and empty them at the temples of Lord Shiva. But, over the last few years, some of them have got flak for allegedly creating ruckus on the roads during their holy journey.