By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
A day before the Kanwar Yatra begins in the holy city of Haridwar, the Uttarakhand government on Thursday launched operation Kalnemi against the impersonators who cheat people and play with their sentiments and work against the tenets of Sanatan Dharam.
Kalnemi was a demon in the epic Ramayana who was sent by Ravana to stop Lord Hanuman to bring Sanjiwani for the injured Laxman. In the ensuing fight, Kalnemi, who was impersonating as sadhu, was killed by Lord Hanuman after his true identity was revealed.
As scores of Kanwarias or Lord Shiva devotees start descending Haridwar, the government said it is fully geared up to meet the challenge. The government is expecting nearly 6-7 crore pilgrims in Haridwar during the fortnight long Kanwar yatra which begins on Friday on the first day of the Shrawan month.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said he has instructed the officials to launch operation Kalnemi against the impersonators who often try to hide their identities and cheat people in the name of religion.
In a social media post, the Chief Minister said many such cases have come to light in the state where anti-social elements are cheating people, especially women, by disguising themselves as saints. “They (miscreants) not only hurt the religious sentiments of the people but also harm the social harmony and Sanatan traditions. In such a situation, if a person of any religion is found doing anti-social acts, then strict action will be taken”, he said.
He said that just as the demon Kalnemi tried to mislead by disguising himself as a saint, similarly many “Kalnemis” are committing crimes dressed in sanatan garb. The Chief Minister said, ‘Our government is fully committed to protecting public sentiments, the dignity of Sanatan culture and maintaining social harmony. Those who spread hypocrisy in the name of faith will not be spared under any circumstances.’
This statement of Dhami has come a day before the start of the Kanwar Yatra in which Kanwariyas from different states of the country reach Haridwar to collect Ganga water. With this Ganga water, Kanwariyas anoint Lord Shivalingas in various temples of their villages on the day of Shivratri.
The number of Kanwariyas participating in this Kanwar Yatra, which lasts for about a fortnight, is increasing day by day. Last year, more than four crore Kanwariyas reached Haridwar and Rishikesh in the Kanwar Yatra.
The police and administration have made strict security arrangements in view of the possibility of more Kanwariyas coming this time and the possibility of criminals coming in the guise of Kanwariyas.
The Chief Minister had recently held a meeting in this regard and directed the officials to review the arrangements of previous years and take adequate steps to deal with the challenges arising from the point of view of law and order so that they are not repeated this year.