In a significant move, the Uttar Pradesh (UP) administration has decided to cover ten mosques in Sambhal during Holi celebrations on Friday. March 14 marks a rare sixty-year coincidence of the festival of colours and a Ramazan ‘Jumma’ falling together on the same day.

Briefing the media over the UP administration’s preparedness, Sambhal SP, Shrish Chandra, said that the decision was taken to maintain communal harmony and facilitate the two communities in celebrating their respective festivals with full glee and gaiety.

“A total of ten mosques have been identified which fall in the proposed route of the ‘Chaupai’ procession. All of them will be covered to prevent any disturbance or tension between the two communities,” he said.

He said that the decision has been taken to cover those mosques, from where the ‘Chaupai’ processions (a customary practice during Holi) will cross through and also added that this has been a practice for years.

“The conventional route of the ‘Chaupai’ procession during Holi has been identified and ten mosques along the route will be covered,” he said.

According to reports, an agreement has also been reached to alter the timings of the Friday prayers and ‘Chaupai’ processions, so that the two don’t overlap each other.

The Friday ‘namaaz (prayers)’ will take place either before or after the Holi procession. Also, outsiders won’t have permission to enter mosque premises.

Local authorities and UP Police officials have been given instructions to maintain strict vigilance and prevent any untoward incidents from unfolding on the day of the festival.

The ten mosques which will be covered with tarpaulin in Sambhal during Holi celebrations, include the Shahi Jama Masjid, Ladania wali masjid, Thaane wali masjid, Ek raat masjid, Gurdwara road masjid, Gol masjid, Khajoor wali masjid, Anaar wali masjid and Gol dukaan wali masjid.

A peace meeting was also organised at the Sambhal police station, where the religious heads of the two communities discussed and deliberated on ways to prevent any incident of communal strife, during Holi celebrations and the Friday ‘namaaz’.

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