VHP mandates tilak and raksha sutra for garba entry
Organizers have been instructed to ensure participants wear a tilak on their foreheads to confirm Hindu identity.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat delivered a message of ‘universal unity’ at an event in New York just a week ago, after which the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has decided to prohibit the entry of Muslims into Garba and Dandiya events during the ten-day Navratri festival in Maharashtra. The organization has also issued strict rules for participants.
According to a report by Indian Express, organizers have been instructed to check the Aadhaar cards of attendees and apply a tilak on their foreheads to confirm their Hindu identity.
The VHP stated that,
only Hindus should be allowed entry into Garba events. Participants will have to apply a tilak on their foreheads, wear a raksha sutra on their wrists, and worship a Hindu deity. Only after these procedures will they be permitted to join the event.
The organization’s Vidarbha General Secretary Prashant Titre said on Saturday in Nagpur that,
‘Gomutra’ will also be sprinkled on attendees. He mentioned that during Navratri, VHP and Bajrang Dal workers will monitor Garba pandals to ensure compliance with the issued guidelines.
According to the VHP, these measures are necessary to ensure that only Hindus are allowed entry into the events and to prevent alleged incidents of ‘love jihad’. The term ‘love jihad’ is used by some right-wing organizations to refer to allegations that Muslim men lure Hindu girls and women into conversion. This issue has been raised almost every year before Navratri.
VHP national spokesperson Shri Raj Nair told the news agency PTI,
Garba is not just a dance, but a form of worship performed to please the goddess. Those who do not believe in idol worship should not be allowed to participate in it.
The opposition has accused the VHP and the Sangh Parivar of creating divisions in society through such edicts. Meanwhile, Maharashtra government minister and senior BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule stated that organizers have the right to decide who is allowed entry into the event. He said, “Every organizing committee sets its own rules and has the right to do so. As long as there is police permission to hold the event, there is no problem.” Maharashtra BJP media chief Navnath Ban said that Garba is a religious event for Hindus and people of other religions should not “interfere” in it.
On the other hand, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut alleged that there is a deliberate attempt to create a communal atmosphere in the country. He said,
Creating a communal atmosphere is their livelihood. I am not talking about giving equal respect to all religions, but the way this poison is being spread is neither befitting Maharashtra nor the country.
The Congress has taken a tougher stance, stating that organizations linked to the BJP can go to any lengths to gain or maintain power.
The Congress stated,
They want to further divide people for their political gain and want to politicize religion. The VHP's stance is not new. Their aim is to destabilize the country. They can go to any extent to spoil the atmosphere of the country to gain power. All organizations linked to the BJP operate in this manner. Unity in diversity has been Maharashtra's strength and should not be weakened.
Regarding the ban on Muslim participation in Navratri events in Maharashtra, VHP national spokesperson and joint secretary Shri Raj Nair said, “We have decided not to allow Muslims to participate in Garba-Dandiya during Navratri.” He argued, “Navratri is not just a festival of songs, music, and dance. It is a festival of worshipping the goddess. Why would Muslims, who are opposed to idol worship, want to participate in this festival?” However, he also tried to clarify that not allowing Muslims entry into Navratri events is not against any community.
It is noteworthy that just a week ago, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, while addressing an event at Madison Square Garden, stated,
If any Hindu thinks that there should be no Muslims in India, then he will not remain a Hindu. If you want to call yourself a Hindu, you must believe that all paths lead to the same goal. Every human being has their dignity, and there is no discrimination among humans.
When the VHP leader was asked about Bhagwat's statement, he said, “We do not comment on the RSS chief's statement.”
Nair further stated, “We are not against anyone. We also believe in social harmony and peace. The question is, why should we relax our guidelines for Muslims who do not accept our religious beliefs and worship practices?”