Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh M Bhagwat recently issued an internal circular denying exemption from the police uniform to officers who want to observe Swamy Ayyappa Deeksha.
“Permission cannot be accorded to police personnel to perform duties without wearing prescribed uniform, shoes and other clothing articles,” Mr. Bhagwat stated in the circular. If any police personnel desire to observe Deeksha, they can apply for leave and no permission can be accorded to any member of a disciplined force like police, he said. The officer said that there was no specific provision in the rules to allow police personnel to grow hair or beard irrespective of their religion.
“However, one can apply for leave up to two months to perform rituals, if any, subject to the condition that such permission shall be without detriment to the official duties,” the circular read.