The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has called for Muslims to be excluded from Garba and Dandiya events during the upcoming Navratri celebrations in Maharashtra, sparking a political controversy in the state.
The organisation has also issued guidelines for event organisers, including checking the Aadhaar cards of attendees and applying tilak on their foreheads to verify the Hindu identity of participants.
Navratri will begin on October 11, with Garba and Dandiya programmes expected to be held across Maharashtra during the 10-day festival.
VHP national spokesperson and joint secretary Shriraj Nair said the organisation had decided not to allow Muslims to participate in Garba and Dandiya events.
“Navratri is not just about songs and dance. The festival is about worshipping the Goddess,” Nair said, questioning why Muslims who do not believe in idol worship should participate in the celebrations.
The VHP has described the restrictions as precautionary measures aimed at protecting what it considers the religious and cultural character of Hindu festivals. Nair said the move was not directed against any particular community and maintained that the organisation supported social harmony and peace.
The VHP's proposed guidelines include verifying participants through Aadhaar cards and applying tilak before allowing entry to events.
The VHP's position has come shortly after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat spoke about Hindu-Muslim relations during a gathering at Madison Square in New York.
“If any Hindu thinks there should be no Muslims in India, he will not remain Hindu,” Bhagwat said, while stressing the dignity of every individual and the belief that different paths can lead to the same goal.
Asked about Bhagwat's remarks, Nair declined to comment on the RSS chief's statement. He instead questioned why the VHP should relax its guidelines for Muslims who, according to him, do not follow the religious beliefs associated with Navratri.
The proposed restrictions have drawn criticism from opposition leaders, who have questioned their constitutional validity and warned that they could deepen communal divisions.
Congress MLA Amin Patel said festivals should promote communal harmony and pointed to the tradition of people from different communities participating in each other's celebrations.
NCP (SP) spokesperson Clyde Crasto questioned the Maharashtra government's response, asking whether authorities would allow the VHP to dictate matters connected to law and order.
Maharashtra State Minority Commission Chairman Pyare Khan also opposed the blanket exclusion of Muslims. He said festivals should bring communities together and argued that participation should depend on whether people are invited rather than on religious restrictions.
The VHP's announcement has therefore triggered a wider debate over religious identity, cultural participation and the limits of private organisations imposing restrictions at public festivals.
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