Seems like India is in a ‘Ban’ season, started with Maharashtra’s Ban on meat sale, followed by a Beef Ban and recent incident of Dadri – where a family faced brutality of local masses. Now, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) called for Ban of Non-Hindu community, at Garba events in residential societies of Gujarat.
The Nine days festive season, celebrated as Navratra in various parts of India. The celebration is more cheerful in states like Gujarat, which is said to be a place of origin for ‘garba’. The offensive statement issued by the officials of VHP will add to the ongoing controversies in the country.
The order of preventing entry of Non-Hindu communities which include both Christian and Muslims, is just another incident that will hurt secular sentiments of the nation. Though the Navratra is celebrated as praying all Nine Avtaars of Goddess Durga, but more or less it is also associated as a common platform for the communities to mingle with each other.
The organization also instructed its volunteers to keep a close eye on the garba venues in the state, to ensure that Non-Hindu must not enter the venues. It further said that those Non-Hindus trying to enter the venues will have to adopt ‘Hinduism’ as a religion.
Ranchhod Bharwad in his conversation with local and national media that the Ban will be applicable only on garba events organized in small residential societies, while those organized at clubs and commercial events are excluded from the decision.
The official of Hindu extremist organization added that ‘Ban’ is necessary to stop incidents of ‘love Jihad’, where Muslim boys marry Hindu girls.
When these officials were questioned about the relevancy of such orders with that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s agenda of ‘inclusive growth’ and ‘sab ka saath sab ka vikas’, they replied that it is not a government function or a constitutional set up.
Navratra is a purely Hindu festival, therefore agenda of inclusive growth does not apply here. We are also ready to carry out a protest to save sanctity of the festival.
