Sambalpur: Religious Processions banned in Sambalpur for One year, it was decided in the peace committee meeting

Sambalpur: Muharram will be celebrated with discipline in Sambalpur. Permits for group procession will not be found. This decision was taken in the Peace and Harmony Committee meeting held on Thursday evening in the local district council conference room to celebrate the festival of Muharram. In the meeting presided over by District Collector Ananya Das, Sambalpur SP Mukesh Bhamu said that permission will not be given for the Muharram procession this year. After the SP’s decision, there was a sharp reaction in the meeting. The people of the Muslim community opposed it and brought internal complaints. We were given permission for our Sital Shasthi festival, we were also given permission for our car festival, but there was a question as to why the administration did not want to give permission for our Muharram.

A curfew had to be imposed in the city on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. After 30 days, the situation came under control. Where did the leadership go when the situation worsened,” questioned the SP, adding that permission for the procession would not be granted. Not only Muharram, we will not allow Hanuman Jayanti processions next year as well,” SP said. Cooperate for this year, procession will be allowed after June 2024. According to Investigation report, SP said that peace has not fully returned in the city till now. After the release of those jailed for their involvement in violence, the administration will also hold discussions with them. We will study for a year. SP said that we will give permission later. Many people have been identified in the Hanuman Jayanti violence incident, we are keeping an eye on all of them.

However, group processions will not be allowed, they can take out processions in their respective police station areas, the SP said. After this decision, some people beat the table saying that they will not group processions at all and stood up. Some people even left the room. For me, ‘Sambalpur is bigger than all religions’, the SP said and appealed to the administration to cooperate in maintaining peace and brotherhood. The meeting was attended by Sambalpur Metropolitan Corporation (SMC) Commissioner Ved Bhushan, Probationary IAS Sneha Arugula, Additional District Magistrate Ajambar Mohanty, District Council Chief Development Officer Dharmendra Mallik, Additional SP Pradyumna Mishra, Sadar Upazilapal Prabhas Dandasena, Sadar SDPO Pradeep Sahu, DIB DSP James Samad and other dignitaries. Committee members, stakeholders, and departmental officers were present.