In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, a Dargah and its nearby buildings in Saadatganj were reportedly being used for provocative sloganeering. As per a report in Live Hindustan, people from a particular community had been gathering in the rooftops near a Dargah and were raising provocative slogans against another community.

The report stated that Saadatganj police has registered an FIR against 1 named and 17 unnamed people for defying lockdown orders and trying to stir up communal tension in the area.

As per the report, ADCP West Vikas Tripathy has stated that such sloganeering could have stirred up communal tension in the area. Inspector in the Saadatganj police station has stated that for the last few days, a particular community used to gather in the rooftops and lanes near the Dargah Hazrat Abbas area and were raising communal slogans. Eventually, this led to sloganeering from another community in the area too.

Apart from the potential communal tension, such mass-sloganeering was also drawing crowds from the adjacent localities creating a potentially dangerous situation in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Police have stated that for the last three days, they have been patrolling in the area and have been appealing to people not to engage in such mass-sloganeering. However, the members of the community were not paying heed to the police’s appeals and were continuing their activities.

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Seeing the seriousness of the situation, of a potential communally charged situation amidst the virus outbreak in the city, the police have taken strong steps and have filed an FIR against one Raza Abbas of the Dargah Hazrat Abbas and 17 other persons.

police officials have stated that strict measures will be taken against those who will try to disrupt peace and defy lockdown orders.