Vishwa Hindu Parishad prohibits entry of non-Hindus at Durga Puja Pandals

Ratlam : The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has put up posters prohibiting the entry of “non-Hindus” in the pandals where Garba dance is performed hailing Durga Ma during the ongoing Navratri festival in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam district. This decision has been taken to avoid the repeat of “controversial incidents” of the last year, a functionary of the organisation said on Monday.

The VHP says that they have placed the posters stating the “entry of non-Hindus is prohibited” across 56 pandals.

Chandan Sharma, VHP’s Dharm Prachar Vibhag district secretary for Ratlam, said “The entry of non-Hindu youths had led to controversies at many places last year. By putting up such posters, non-Hindu people are being told not to enter the garba and Durga pandals so that such incidents can be avoided.”

This is done to “avoid any clash and harassment of Hindu women”.

Sharma said VHP workers are placing such posters with the consent of the festival organising committees.

Ratlam Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Abhishek Gehlot said that yet administration has not received any complaint regarding this.

“The administration will look into the issue (the posters) in case of any complaint,” he said.

VHP is an affiliate of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) ’s ideological fountainhead, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

The organisers also expressed concern over the entry of non-Hindus in the pandals and welcomed VHP’sstep. Maa Ambey Durga Utsav Samiti, Ratlam president Mayur Purohit said, “We are allowing the posters of VHP at the entry gate of the pandal as we don’t want to create any confusion.VHP members have asked us to check identity cards and in case of any doubt, they have asked us to inform them.”

Meanwhile, Ratlam district collector Kumar Purshottam refused to comment on the matter by saying that the issue is between the VHP and the organiser.

The outfit state leaders are planning to implement it across the state from next year.

VHP Madhya Kshetra in-charge Rajesh Tiwari said, “We will implement this across the state because people of mainly one community use religious programmes to befool the women of the Hindu community. They use fake names to impress women and later they pressurise them for changing their religion for marriage. Now, we will save our women from these fraudsters.”