Synopsis
The annual 'Neja Mela' in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, honoring Saiyyad Salar Masud Ghazi, has been canceled by police due to concerns over his violent history. Officials assert that commemorating a figure associated with robbery and murder is inappropriate, highlighting the need to change harmful traditions.Key Takeaways
- 'Neja Mela' canceled in Sambhal this year.
- Police cite objections regarding Masud Ghazi's legacy.
- Ghazi linked to robbery and violence against temples.
- Legal action threatened against misinformation.
- Event traditionally starts with a flagpole installation.
Sambhal, March 17 (NationPress) The 'Neja Mela', celebrated annually in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, to honor Saiyyad Salar Masud Ghazi, will not occur this year. The police have informed the organizers that they will prohibit the event from proceeding under the guise of 'robbers'.
Additional Police Superintendent Shreeshchandra clarified that the Neja Mela has been a longstanding event in Sambhal. However, objections have been raised by certain individuals regarding its significance.
He noted that this mela commemorates Abdul Salar Masud Ghazi.
Critics have argued that Ghazi Salar was a notorious robber who plundered the Somnath Temple, wreaked havoc on numerous temples, and was linked to multiple murders, according to the officer.
He asserted that honoring a figure with such a violent past is inappropriate. This decision has been made with the law and order situation in mind.
Organizers have been warned against holding such an event, and legal measures will be initiated against those disseminating false information, the police officer stated.
The mela traditionally commences with the erection of a 30-feet tall pole adorned with a green flag at the mela grounds on the first Tuesday following Holi.
This pole was scheduled for installation on March 18, but the police have intervened to halt the proceedings.
The Additional Superintendent of Police remarked that organizing a mela in honor of Mahmud Ghaznavi's general, known for plundering the Somnath Temple and perpetrating destruction and violence in India, is highly inappropriate.
This custom of commemorating a robber should not persist. It is unacceptable to hold an event in the name of a criminal and murderer.
He stressed that if a harmful tradition has been perpetuated for years, it is essential to change it. Ghazi, as the nephew of Mahmud Ghaznavi, was notorious for his acts of cruelty in India.
