DEHRADUN: Ahead of the Char Dham Yatra, a move to restrict the entry of non-Hindus into the state’s shrines is gaining momentum. Following the installation of ‘no entry for non-Hindus’ signages at Har-ki-Pauri in Haridwar, the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) is now preparing a proposal to implement similar restrictions at the shrines.
BKTC chairman Hemant Dwivedi, who holds the rank of a minister of state, said the move is essential to maintain the religious integrity of the sites. “This should not even be a matter of debate. These are Hindu pilgrimage sites, not tourist destinations. Only Hindus should visit the sites,” Dwivedi said. He confirmed that a proposal has been drafted with broad consensus. “We will soon hold a board meeting to officially ratify the decision,” he added.
The push for the ban is rooted in the Haridwar Municipal Act of 1916. The Pushkar Singh Dhami government is currently studying the legalities of century-old bylaws. The CM has indicated that the government will follow the counsel of the saints and temple committees.
Nitin Gautam, president of Shri Ganga Sabha which manages Har-ki-Pauri, emphasised that this is not a new demand but the enforcement of an existing law. “We want total ban on non-Hindus at Hindu pilgrimage sites under the existing legal framework. It has started at Har-ki-Pauri, and it will soon extend to all 47 major pilgrimage sites in the state,” Gautam said.
The demand for the ban is also being linked to concerns over demographic shifts and local security. Gautam alleged that non-Hindus often enter these sacred zones under the guise of trade, rather than as devotees.
‘Many enter sacred zones as traders, not devotees’
Gautam alleged that non-Hindus often enter these sacred zones under the guise of trade —running tea stalls, salons, or fruit shops—rather than as devotees. He suggested that the ban should cover the entire Kumbh area, a stretch of nearly 80 kilometres from Rudraprayag to Haridwar.