A police official in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district said that Muslims should stay indoors if they cannot accept Holi colours as the festival comes only once a year, ANI reported. The remark was criticised by Opposition leaders who said that police officials should not act as agents of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Sambhal Circle Officer Anuj Kumar Chaudhary made the comments after a peace committee meeting held ahead of the Hindu festival Holi, which will coincide this year with congregational Friday prayers during the Islamic holy month of Ramzan. Holi is on March 14 this year.

“Muslims are urged not to go there [where Holi celebrations are taking place] if you cannot accept colours,” Chaudhary said. “There are 52 Jummas [Friday prayers] in a year, while Holi only comes once a year. Just like Muslims wait the whole year for Eid, Hindus also wait for Holi.”

The officer said that Muslims should stay at home if they do not want Holi colours to be thrown at them, according to ANI. “And if they want to go out of their house, then they should be big-hearted enough not to object if colour falls on them,” he added.

“Holi is a festival of love and we hope that it passes peacefully,” Chaudhary said. “Those who disturb the atmosphere will not be spared.”

In response to the remark, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Sharvendra Bikram Singh said that officials should not “act as BJP agents”, PTI reported.

“The officers are imitating what they hear from the chief minister to stay in his good books,” he said. “Action should be taken against those who make such statements and openly display their bias.”

Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Manish Hindvi said that governance can only function properly if officials are secular. “If people from a particular religion have expressed discomfort with playing with colours, the officer’s duty is to ensure that there is no atmosphere of fear or insecurity,” he said.

Hindvi added: “Saying that Holi comes once a year while Friday prayers happen 52 times and that those who dislike colours should stay indoors is a political statement…As an officer, one cannot make such statements; otherwise, tomorrow they might say they will only ensure the security of Hindus and not Muslims.”

The Congress leader called for action to be taken against the police official as per the officers’ code of conduct.

Violence had erupted in Sambhal in November after Muslim groups objected to a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid. The court order came in response to a lawsuit claiming that the mosque had been built after demolishing a centuries-old Hindu temple.

Five persons were killed in the clashes.

A total of 79 people have been apprehended so far in connection with the riots, with 46 of them having applied for bail, which has not yet been granted.

Also read: Harsh Mander: Will Sambhal become the new Ayodhya?