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Muslim bands can’t have Hindu names, order Moradabad police
On Tuesday, Superintendent of police (City) Kumar Ranvijay Singh summoned several band operators, most of them Muslims, and instructed them to not name their bands after Hindu deities. The band owners agreed. According to police, the complaint claimed that around 15 to 20 Muslim band operators in the district were running their businesses under the names of Hindu deities. He argued that this practice was hurting religious sentiments.
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The controversy over Muslim restauraters operating establishments with Hindu names has just died down in Uttar Pradesh, but a new one, centred around the district of Moradabad has surfaced: wedding bands run by Muslims but named after Hindu Gods and Goddesses. On July 9, Shaby Sharma, a lawyer, registered a complaint on the chief minister’s portal.
This week, the police swung into action. On Tuesday, Superintendent of police (City) Kumar Ranvijay Singh summoned several band operators, most of them Muslims, and instructed them to not name their bands after Hindu deities. The band owners agreed.
According to police, the complaint claimed that around 15 to 20 Muslim band operators in the district were running their businesses under the names of Hindu deities. He argued that this practice was hurting religious sentiments.
“A complaint was filed on the CM portal that band operators were using the names of Hindu deities. On Tuesday, they were summoned and directed to remove such names. All of them agreed to comply,” Singh added.
To be sure, there is nothing illegal in a Muslim band owner naming his band after a Hindu God.
Shaby Sharma, the complainant, said, “The band industry in Moradabad is largely dominated by Muslims, yet many of these establishments operate under Hindu names, including those of gods and goddesses. This is an attempt to distort identity. The chief minister himself has called for action against such practices.
I had submitted a formal complaint on the CM portal, and now the police have taken action. This is not discrimination, it is legal action.”
This comes weeks after a similar controversy erupted during the Kanwar Yatra, when several dhabas and restaurants run by Muslims were found to be using Hindu names.
Moradabad has over 500 wedding bands in operation.
No band operator immediately objected to the complaint and the police order.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Muslim wedding band operator running under a Hindu name, “We named the band after my guru, who was a Hindu.
The business has been running for over two decades. We have requested the police to allow us some time to comply with the latest order as we have advance bookings. We have assured them that all future bookings will be done under the new name.”
