Chaos at Chhattisgarh garba event as right-wing workers create ruckus over presence of Muslims

A garba event organised in Chhattisgarh's Durg descended into chaos on Wednesday after workers of right-wing groups reportedly created ruckus over the presence of Muslim youth at the event.

A scuffle broke out on the stage during which Congress district president and former mayor Dheeraj Bakliwal was pushed, the Times of India reported. The videos of the incident were shared on social media that showed the right-wing workers on the stage raising objection over the presence of Muslim youth at the event.

What led to the dispute

According to reports, the dispute reportedly began after an NSUI office-bearer identified as Adil Khan shared a poster of the event on social media with details of the event and mentioning free entry passes.

On Wednesday night when the garba event was underway, members of right wing outfits, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), reached the venue and barged on the stage. Heated exchange turned into a scuffle and Bakliwal was seen being pushed in one of the videos.

The Congress leader was later quoted as saying that the entry to the event was free and anyone could attend it. However, VHP's Ramlochan Tiwari reportedly opposed to the participation of Muslims in the garba event and said entry checks should be made mor stringent.

The police have registered a case on the complaint of the organisers and CCTV footage is being examined to identify the accused.

Row over Gujarat garba event

A garba event in Gujarat's Ahmedabad landed up in a row after non-Hindus and Muslims were asked to leave a high-end garba event in Ahmedabad amid ongoing Navratri festival. This prompted popular Gujarati folk singer Aditya Gadhvi to distance himself from the announcement, saying it was not his message, news agency PTI reported. Gadhvi was performing at the event.

A video of the announcement has gone viral on social media, showing anchor-RJ Akash Trivedi on Wednesday asking non-Hindus and Muslims to leave the venue from the stage of the 'Rang Morla ft. Aditya Gadhvi' event organised at Savvana Party Plot on the city's Shela Road.

"A humble request to any 'vidharmi' (non-Hindus) and Muslims to leave the ground. The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has come here to protect Sanatan Dharma," Trivedi is heard saying in the video.

"The VHP wants you (garba participants) to look around and report suspicious people to the helpline number," the RJ added.

Gujarat VHP spokesperson Hitendrasinh Rajput defended the announcement, saying it was part of a routine exercise carried out by Bajrang Dal volunteers at garba (traditional folk dance from Gujarat) events in the state.

"Usually, Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the VHP, visits garba events in Ahmedabad and meets the organisers, asking them to prevent non-Hindus from entering the venue. Sometimes, they also apply tilak on the foreheads of men attending the events and remove suspicious people from the ground," Rajput was quoted as saying.