In Uttarakhand, a major controversy has erupted over inviting Muslim MLAs to the Deepotsav event in Haridwar on 11th November. Muslim MLAs have been invited to Har Ki Pauri, where the entry of non-Hindus is restricted. Questions have been raised over the Haridwar district administration’s decision to extend this invitation. Following the dispute, non-Muslims can no longer enter Har Ki Pauri. The incident has triggered outrage among Hindu rights organisations like Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
Reports say that Deepotsav will be held at Har Ki Pauri on Monday evening, and this program is part of the Silver Jubilee Festival, which commemorates the state of Uttarakhand’s 25th anniversary. The residents of Haridwar have been asked to light lamps. Moreover, there is a plan to light 3 lakh diyas in this program. Apart from this, a bhajan evening will also be organized. State Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has also been invited to the program.
The Haridwar district administration has also invited MLAs to the Deepotsav program including Congress MLA from Piran Kaliyar Furqan Ahmed, BSP MLA from Laksar Mohammad Shahzad, and Congress MLA from Mangalore Qazi Nizamuddin.
Shri Ganga Sabha strongly objected to the invitation extended to these three Muslim MLAs. Notably, the Sabha organises Ganga Aarti and other events in Har Ki Pauri. According to the Shri Ganga Sabha, non-Hindus are not permitted to visit Har Ki Pauri, hence the administration’s invitation is inappropriate.
The Sabha has stated that calling Muslim MLAs is an insult to the laws and would not be tolerated, adding that the district administration is unaware of the Har Ki Pauri rules and that the restriction on non-Muslims is more than 100 years old.
Meanwhile, a Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader said that non-Hindus are not permitted to enter Haridwar’s Har Ki Pauri and other ghats; this restriction is a hundred years old and was established by Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya following an agreement with the British rulers; it is also a Municipal Corporation bylaw.
As a result, the former Muslim governor of the state, Aziz Qureshi, and Christian Margaret Alva took part in the previous program from locations other than Har ki Pauri. This rule is reported to have been in effect since 1916, and it was adopted by Madan Mohan Malviya from the British when he established the Aarti. In response to the criticism in this case, the administration has prohibited non-Hindus from attending the ceremony at Har Ki Pauri. The District Magistrate of Haridwar imposed this restriction. Meanwhile, the Hindu rights groups Bajrang Dal and VHP welcomed the move calling it a huge win.
