Days before a T20I cricket match between India and Bangladesh in Gwalior, the district magistrate has clamped prohibitory orders, banning protests and circulation of inflammatory material, especially on social media, to maintain peace and ensure an incident-free match, officials have said.
The orders will be in force till October 7 and come in the wake of a ‘Gwalior bandh’ call given by the Hindu Mahasabha on the match day (Oct 6) and protests by other organisations.
The right-wing outfit on Wednesday staged a protest demanding the cancellation of Sunday’s match over “atrocities” committed on Hindus in Bangladesh, which saw violent demonstrations, political upheaval and a change in government in August.
District magistrate and collector Ruchika Chauhan issued the prohibitory orders under section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which replaced the British-era Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in July, on recommendation of the Superintendent of Police, officials said.
The SP noted that different organisations were engaged in taking out processions, organising demonstrations and effigy burning to protest against the match.
Religious sentiments were being incited and a communal atmosphere was being created with objectionable messages, pictures, videos, audio and other means on social media platforms which is detrimental to social harmony, he said.
The SP recommended the imposition of prohibitory orders to maintain peace, law and order in the Madhya Pradesh district.
As per the orders, any person within the limits of the district will face action if he or she via social media platforms disrupts the international match or incites religious sentiments. Banners, posters, cut-outs, flags and other things with objectionable or inflammatory language and messages stand banned.