A day after Shri Ganga Sabha president Nitin Gautam sought a ban on non-Hindus from entering the Kumbh Mela area, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the state government would hold talks with priest groups to “reach an appropriate resolution”. The Kumbh is scheduled to take place in January 2027.
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On Sunday, Gautam, citing bylaws that ban the entry of non-Hindus into Har ki Pauri, said the rules were framed with a 100-year outlook. “So, we need to plan for the next 100 years ahead. Those people who have little connection to our religion, culture, and sentiments… this is one of the biggest festivals of Sanatan to be held in Ujjain, Allahabad, Nasik and Haridwar, and the entry of non-Hindus would only lead to some loss for us,” he said, according to The Indian Express.
Gautam, who is the president of the sabha that manages the area and the surrounding Ganga ghats, said “only Hindus be permitted to enter the area where the Kumbh will take place”.
Asked if the proposal for ban on non-Hindus in Kumbh areas would be considered, Chief Minister Dhami said the government would hold talks with priest groups to reach an appropriate resolution.
“Haridwar is the central seat of Hinduism and is on the banks of the Ma Ganga. We are taking measures in accordance with it. We are looking into acts governing the region and will hold discussions with the priests to bring out suitable proposals,” he said, according to The Indian Express.
Impractical to implement such a proposal, says local MLA
Manglaur MLA Qazi Nizamuddin said that it is “not practical” to implement such a proosal. “I abide by the law that no non-Hindu is allowed to go to Har ki Pauri. However, other than that, it is not practical. There is no clarity on the area that will be limited, and Jwalapur in the municipal limits has a sizable Muslim population. There are dozens of Muslim corporators in the municipal corporation; there needs to be an appropriate decision, and we cannot take an extreme step in this regard,” he told The Indian Express.
3.49 crore people visited Haridwar in 2024
In 2024, 3.49 crore visitors Haridwar – the highest in the state during the Kumbh Mela. Thus, such a proposal, many experts say, could affect livelihoods, especially of Muslims who make up a considerable number in the region.
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In 2024, three Muslim MLAs opted out of an event at Har ki Pauri after the Shri Ganga Sabha cited the 1935 municipal laws barring the entry of non-Hindus into the area. |
