Hindutva outfit members and temple priests staged a huge protest on Saturday, March 1, in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore against pubs operating late into the night beyond permissible hours. The protesters gathered late at night at Vijay Nagar Square, prompting heavy police deployment.
To prevent an untoward situation, three police stations, including senior officials, were stationed at the site. Security forces established barricades and confined protesters to a limited area to stop the protest from intensifying.
The protest reportedly emerged after a local police stopped a Bhajan Sandhya at the Goddess Kali Temple in Vijay Nagar, citing official directives. This restriction triggered anger among devotees and temple priests, leading to the late-night demonstration.
The protesters demanded the closure of pubs and clubs, complaining that religious ritual meetings faced restrictions but nighttime entertainments remained open. Some protestors staged outside nightclub venues to verify closures by calling their followers from their phones. Several protesters sat on the road and recited Hanuman Chalisa, expressing their opposition.
Temple priest Rahul Yadav condemned the police orders and stated that during a Mahashivratri, Bhajan Sandhya was stopped while pubs were allowed to operate late into the night. The Hindu organizations had already announced their plans to bring their supporters together, including religious leaders, priests, college students, Karni Sena members and other activist groups intent on forcing pub and club closures.
In addition to their protest activities, they planned to deliver a memorandum to the police department about their proposed demands. The situation remained tense for hours while police maintained a robust presence to ensure public order. The protest ended at 11 pm when demonstrators evacuated the road.
