UP Police 'Guard of Honour' for Kathavachak Sparks Row; Opposition Cries Foul

• Uttar Pradesh Police accorded a 'Guard of Honour' to religious storyteller Pundreek Goswami in Bahraich, triggering widespread controversy.
• Visuals showed Bahraich SP Ram Nayam Singh and personnel saluting Goswami, drawing criticism from opposition leaders like Akhilesh Yadav and Chandrashekhar Azad.
• Critics argue the gesture violates constitutional norms, misuses police resources, and undermines India's secular republic status.
• UP DGP Rajeev Krishna sought an explanation, while police headquarters clarified parade grounds are for official use only.
• 'Guard of Honour' is strictly reserved for high constitutional office holders (President, PM, Governors, CMs, CJHCs), not private religious figures, as per established protocol.

Why It Matters: UP Police's 'Guard of Honour' for a religious figure sparks debate on protocol, secularism, and police neutrality.