'Reveal identity, Garba not entertainment': Madhya Pradesh minister echoes VHP's ‘Hindu-only’ call

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) last week said only Hindus should be given entry to 'garba' events marking Navratri.

Updated on: Sep 23, 2025, 16:18:27 IST

By HT News Desk

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Weighing in on the recent debate over restricting ‘Garba’ events to Hindus, Madhya Pradesh minister Vishvas Sarang said on Tuesday that only the followers of Hinduism should perform is ritualistic dance traditionally undertaken as part of the annual Hindu festival of Navratri.

People wearing traditional attire perform Garba, a traditional dance, on the first night of Navratri in Gujarat (AP)

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) last week said only Hindus should be given entry to 'garba' events marking Navratri and advised organisers to check the Aadhaar card of entrants for identification to avoid instances of "love jihad".

While Maharashtra minister and senior BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule said organisers have the right to set conditions of entry at an event, provided it is being held with police permission, the Congress's Vijay Wadettiwar slammed the VHP for wanting to "set society on fire".

‘Reveal identity’

Reacting on the matter, Madhya Pradesh minister Vishvas Sarang on Tuesday said, “Garba is purely a religious ritual of Hindu traditions, of Sanatan Dharma. Only the followers of Hinduism should go to Garba.”

Only Hindus should go to Garba, Sarang said while speaking to news agency ANI and added that, “This is not an entertainment programme”.

"This is the worship of Devi Maa. So, it is essential that those going there should reveal their identity. Why do those who do not follow Hinduism even go there? This is not an entertainment show...," he said.

Garba events, even though are now organised across states, are especially an integral part of nine days of Navratri festival in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane on Monday claimed garba events during Navratri are becoming "epicentres" of "love jihad" and backed the VHP's advisory asking organisers of such programmes to thoroughly check identity documents of participants.

To a question on the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP)'s advisory asking garba organisers to check identity documents of participants, Rane asserted there was nothing wrong in the demand made by the right-wing organisation.

"What is wrong in it? As per my information, Islam does not follow idol worship. Except for love jihad, I do not see any other reason behind Muslims participating in garba. They come to such events under false identity and harass our women. Cases of love jihad start from there," PTI news agency quoted Rane.

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