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New Delhi: Bhim Army chief and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad has hit out at the Uttar Pradesh government after the Bahraich police allegedly gave a guard of honour to pundit Pandurang Goel. He took to X and slammed Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the UP Police.
He wrote, "India is not a monastery, but a constitutional republic. And the state is not the fiefdom of any particular religion. Despite this clear mention, storyteller pundit Pandurang Goel is being given a parade and salute (Guard of Honour) by the Uttar Pradesh police—this is not just an administrative mistake, but an open attack on the Constitution."
Azad further stated that "a salute and parade are symbols of the state's sovereign power. This honour is given in the name of the Constitution, the nation, and the martyrs. Not to enhance the status of any storyteller, baba, or religious leader. In Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's so-called Ram Rajya, the situation now is that—faith is being placed above the Constitution, religion above the law, and storytellers above constitutional positions."
He asked, "This incident shows that the administration of Uttar Pradesh is no longer accountable to the Constitution, but is bowing down before religious authority. It points to a dangerous tradition, where the state is slowly abandoning its constitutional character. Questions arise— Who is Pandurang Goel?, What constitutional position do they hold? Under which law or protocol was he given a Guard of Honour?, Is religious identity now the new government protocol in Uttar Pradesh?"
Giving a 'reminder' to CM Adityanath, Azad wrote, "1. The Preamble of the Constitution declares India a secular nation, not a servant of any one religion. 2. Article 15: Granting privileges based on religion is unconstitutional. 3. Articles 25–28: The state will maintain distance from religion, not perform worship. This clearly means—the Constitution is supreme—no religion. The state has no religion. Jai Bhim, Jai Bharat, Jai Constitution, Jai Science."
The Bahraich police, in a statement, said that some trainees had mental stress, and 28 police personnel submitted their resignations. To ease their mental stress, the Bahraich Police employed methods like yoga, meditation and counselling.
It said that "as part of this initiative, Acharya Pundrik Goswami ji was invited to conduct motivational sessions. Through Acharya ji’s guidance, police personnel learned lessons on duty, responsibility, and remaining steadfast on the path of national service even in difficult circumstances. His discourse also served as a stress-reliever and a source of motivation, proving inspiring for trainee police personnel. Such moral and motivational guidance leads to a qualitative increase in the morale of police trainees."
