How saffron groups are ‘pushing out’ non-Hindus of Navratri events

On October 14, at an upscale Navratri event featuring celebrity folk singer Aditya Gadhvi, its anchor announced from the stage asking those who were ‘vidharmi’ (people from a different faith)’ and ‘Muslims’ to voluntarily exit the ground. The anchor went on to say, “The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has come here for the protection of Hindus,” and gave a “helpline number” from the stage.

Following a massive outcry over the incident, Gadhvi, known for his Coke Studio Bharat rendition of ‘Khalasi’, distanced himself from the incident. He issued a statement on his Instagram handle, saying that “a lot is being said in my name”. He claimed that a group of people had taken over the backstage and done something that “he would never do”, adding that neither he nor the anchor were consulted and were “not involved in any capacity”.

Akash Trivedi, the anchor who made the announcement at the Rang Morlo event where tickets were priced from Rs 1,000 to Rs 7,500, also released a statement saying that he had spoken for the organisers and it was not his opinion.

The Navratri season this year saw several such incidents where saffron groups sought out “non-Hindus” from garba venues.

Ahmedabad Rural SP Om Prakash Jat told The Indian Express that the police had received an application from the organisers of the Rang Morla event and were inquiring into the incident.

In 2023, the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee while awarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage tag to the garba had said: “…a means of collective celebration, garba promotes unity in diversity and fosters social equality by bringing together people of all genders, religions and socio-economic backgrounds. Every generation redefines garba through new performing styles, lyrics and dress while keeping the circle of feminine energy/Shakti intact.”

The inscription by UNESCO read, “… Garba fosters social equality by diluting socio-economic, gender and religious structures. It continues to be inclusive of diverse and marginalised communities, thus strengthening social bonds.”

Story continues below this ad

And yet the religious divide continues to broaden with right-wing Hindu groups, particularly the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, giving memorandums to police asking to keep “non-Hindus” out of Navratri celebrations.

More such events in Vadodara, Surat

Two such incidents were reported on October 16. Razzak Pathan was scanning entry passes at Vadodara’s popular United Way of Baroda garba venue when the VHP alleged that his event identity card identified him as Aayush Patel.

The VHP’s application at Vadodara’s Atladara police station alleged the man’s name on his Aadhaar card and the identity card he carried at the venue had a mismatch. Senior police officials said Razzak was part of the team scanning entry passes at the venue’s gate and was likely issued the event identity card by the agency—a subject of police investigation.

On Friday night, VHP workers confronted the man at the garba ground and handed him over to the police. Videos of the confrontation with the VHP workers have gone viral on social media.

Story continues below this ad

Atladara Police Inspector PU Pastagiya said: “We have received an application from the VHP and initiated a probe. We will decide on the further course of action according to the findings of the inquiry.”

Members of the United Way of Baroda, however, said the organisation did not directly employ workers for the event and that a sub-vendor may have engaged Razzak. UWB also stated that the incident took place after midnight, by which time people at the venue had left, and the police subsequently began their probe.

At Vadodara’s garba festival on Navlakhi grounds, the organisers put up signs saying, “No tilak, No entry”, several days before the garba started.

On the same day, videos of a purported heated exchange between VHP and staff at a garba event of the Kiran Medical College and Hospital in Olpad area of Rural Surat went viral.

Story continues below this ad

However, Inspector CR Jadav of Olpad police station said, “Kiran Medical College has organised garba for its staff from different departments, which have people from different faiths. The police were present there and told the VHP that there were only internal people present at the event and that they should inform the police if they found anyone harassing people or doing something illegal. Following this, they left the premises.” Top officials of the college denied any knowledge of the incident.

In Surat, organisers of the Raslok Navratri, Harshal Mistry and his brother Mimesh announced in September that they would not allow Muslims. Harshal had told media persons, “We have ensured that there is no Muslim individual in the musical bands or among the security staff, and in other areas where the event is organised. Our teams will be on the ground, and if any Muslim (non-Hindu) person is identified, our teams will take him out of the venue”.

Musicians in Bhavnagar

On October 13, in one of the major instances of such confrontation, the police had to physically restrain and detain more than 40 members of the Antarashtrya Hindu Parishad (AHP) and other groups during a confrontation at Rangoli Party Plot in Vartej area of Bhavnagar. They were detained by the police and let go at about 3 am on October 14. The groups were allegedly protesting the employment of a group of Muslim musicians to play at the dandiya event.

On October 17, Bhavnagar SP Nitesh Pandey told The Indian Express, “We have received an application from the organiser against 40 men who had protested in Vartej. We have identified all the men and are taking adequate preventive action against them.”

Story continues below this ad

The Bajrang Dal has claimed on its X handle that it handed over two Muslim men “using Hindu-sounding names” to enter a garba pandal at Dwarkesh Farm in Vatva area, five men in another undisclosed venue also in Ahmedabad, and two men at a garba event organised at the Maninagar football ground.

Maninagar Inspector JP Jadeja said: “Mostly, there are police staff present at the venues, and we don’t let such things take place. But if the police are stationed outside, sometimes this can happen and, in such cases, we check the phones of people handed over to us. If we find nothing illegal, we let them go.”

Additional Commissioner of Police (Ahmedabad City) Jaipal Singh Rathore said that police stations were allowed to handle the issues at their level. He also said that the main concern of the police was to make sure that law and order were maintained throughout the festivities.