Woman asked to take off burqa at Yogi Adityanath rally in Balia, probe ordered

(Screen grab of the video)

A Muslim woman was asked to remove her burqa during a rally in Balia by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday. In the video, women police officers are seen approaching the burqa-clad woman and, after a brief conversation, the woman is seen taking it off. The officers wait for her to completely remove it before they move away from her.

The District Magistrate Surendra Vikram said, “The city magistrate has been asked to conduct an inquiry and action will be taken.” The chief minister was in Balia yesterday to address an election meeting ahead of the local body elections.

Balia SP Anil Kumar told ANI that he has not been informed of any such incident where a Muslim woman was asked to take off her burqa during the CM’s rally. “However, everyone had the instructions to see that no one shows a black cloth to CM Yogi Adityanath,” he added. Kumar also said the incident, if it has taken place, will be probed and action will be taken against policemen if found guilty.

The woman, who identified herself as Saira, said she was a BJP worker and had come to the rally from her village wearing her ‘traditional dress’. Later the women constables on duty asked her to remove the black burqa.
traditions.

Black flags were shown to the CM during an election rally in Meerut a few days ago. It had lead to a scuffle and BJP supporters thrashed a man.

(With inputs from PTI)