BHOPAL: Amid growing demands from Hindu outfits and several BJP leaders to ban the entry of Muslims into Garba venues across Madhya Pradesh, at least two prominent Muslim religious leaders have urged youths from their community to refrain from attending the Hindu festival events.
In Ratlam, one of the most communally sensitive cities in western MP, Shahar Qazi Maulavi Sayyed Quazi Ahmad Ali issued a written appeal urging Muslim elders to dissuade youngsters, both boys and girls, from attending Garba events. He stated that doing so may hurt the sentiments of the Hindu organisers and is not in accordance with Islamic principles.
“Navratri and Garba are integral Hindu festivals, and many organisers don’t want Muslims to attend. To maintain communal harmony, Muslim families should ensure their youth do not participate, especially as such celebrations are not aligned with our religious beliefs,” Ali said.
A similar appeal was made in Bhopal by the Shahar Naib Qazi, Maulana Ali Qadar. He stated that Garba is strictly a Hindu cultural and religious practice, and even suggested legal measures to prohibit non-Hindus, including Muslim schoolgirls, from participating in the events.
“If any Muslim is seen participating in Garba, authorities should stop them. Participation in events involving idol worship is not permissible in Islam,” Qadar said. He also backed the statement made by BJP MP and former Bhopal mayor Alok Sharma, who recently called for banning non-Hindus from entering Garba pandals.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions as Hindu organisations such as the Hindu Jagran Manch and the Bhopal Hindu Utsav Samiti have reiterated demands for a complete ban on non-Hindu, particularly Muslim, entry into Garba venues.
In Bhopal’s Awadhpuri area, a Garba pandal has even put up posters reading “Jihadis strictly not allowed at Garba.” Other venues are reportedly planning “faith tests” for attendees suspected to be non-Hindus — such as applying tilak, tying kalawa (sacred thread), making them drink Gangajal, sprinkling cow urine, and even requiring them to bow before an image of Lord Vishnu’s Varaha (boar) avatar.
The controversy has also gained political traction, with several BJP leaders, including state minister Vishwas Sarang, former minister Usha Thakur, MLAs Rameshwar Sharma and MPs Alok Sharma and Anil Firojiya, publicly supporting the demand to restrict Garba entry to Hindus only.
Just two days earlier, the Bhopal district administration issued new guidelines requiring all Garba organisers to verify identity proofs of attendees before allowing entry — a move seen by many as reinforcing the communal divide surrounding the festival.