Hindutva outfits put up posters forbidding entry to non-Hindus inside Navratri pandals
Jaipur, Sept. 24 -- With Navratri festivities in full swing in the state since Monday, certain cities have reported the appearance of posters issued by several right-wing groups, which lay down diktats forbidding "entrance of non-Hindus" into Garba pandals and "playing inappropriate film songs," among others.
These posters have been put up in Jaipur, Kota, Karauli, Bhilwara and other cities in Monday, people aware of the matter said.
Navaratra has turned into a disco platform," said Naresh Prajapat, the Kota city co-ordinator of Bajrang Dal, expressing discontent over people smoking, drinking, and dancing to risque songs at the pandals instead of performing traditional rituals of worshipping the goddess. The VHP and Bajrang Dal's goals are to ensure a 'sacred' ambience across these pandals, Prajapat added.
He also said that their staff will also be deployed across the pandals to check the Aadhar cards. "women should wear proper clothes. Only Hindus are allowed here. We have formed teams. We will ask to produce Aadhar Cards if we find anyone suspicious. We are completely prepared."
In many places, sporadic incidents of Hindu outfits attempted to forcefully bar people from entering the pandals on grounds of lacking 'proper clothes' or "dancing on music" have been reported since Monday.
Meanwhile, Kota district collector Peeyush Samariya denied having any knowledge of such posters across the city.
The Jaipur additional district magistrate, Yugantar Sharma, said, "These posters came to our notice. But we did not receive any complaint so far. Necessary action will be taken if someone reports any violence."
Commenting on the develoopment, the BJP spiokesperson Laxmikant Bharadwaj said, "These rules are to celebrate a religious function in a proper way. People must follow them. Everybody can join this function but nobody has right to hurt anyone's sentiment."
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the assembly Tikaram Jully said, "The Hindu outfits are planning to divide the people. Navaratra is for everyone."...
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