Ahead of Holi, Aligarh mosque covered to prevent colour smear: Report

Local residents blamed the Yogi administration for sparking communal flares in the state, especially during religious festivities

Ahead of Holi festivities, a mosque in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh was covered with tarpaulin, in order to prevent miscreants from smearing it with colour, according to a report by ANI.

The Abdul Karim Masjid, which stands on one of Aligarh's most communally sensitive crossroads - the 'Halwaiyan' - was covered with tarpaulin overnight at the instructions of the city police administration.

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Police instructions to cover mosques during Holi, including this one in particular, have become increasingly common in the past few years, with local Muslim residents blaming the Yogi administration for sparking communal flares in the state, especially during religious festivities.

"On the instructions of the administration, we cover the mosque with tarpaulin so that no one can throw colour or dirt (in or) on the mosque," Haji Mohammad Iqbal, a local who sits on the mosque's management body, told the publication.

"Ever since the government of Yogi Adityanath has come to (power in) Uttar Pradesh, the mosque is being covered for about 6 to 7 years. With the help of the administration, we cover the mosque so that no one throws colour or dirt (sic)", said Aqeel Pahalwan, another local.