Meerut police warn namaz-on-road can lead to passport cancellation; Orwellian, says MoS Jayant Chaudhary
Meerut, March 26 – In a move to tighten security ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, police in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut have warned against offering namaz on streets, cautioning that violators could face criminal cases, as well as the cancellation of passports and licenses. The directive has sparked controversy, drawing a sharp reaction from Union Minister of State and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Singh Chaudhary, who criticized the measure in a post on X, saying, “Policing towards Orwellian 1984!” —a reference to the Thought Police in George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. On Wednesday, Meerut police submitted a list of eight individuals to District Magistrate Dr. Vijay Kumar Singh, stating they had violated last year’s ban on street prayers during Eid. Steps have been initiated to revoke their licenses and passports. Meerut City SP Ayush Vikram Singh reaffirmed the administration’s stance, stating, “We have urged people to offer namaz at mosques or reach the Idg...