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Religion
VHP urges exclusion of Muslims from Maharashtra’s Garba, Dandiya events, faces backlash
✍️ News18
🗓 06 Sep 2026, 02:35 PM
👁 25
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has called for Muslims to be barred from participating in Garba and Dandiya celebrations across Maharashtra, a demand that has sparked criticism.
Earlier this week the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) issued a statement urging that Muslims be excluded from all Garba and Dandiya events organised in Maharashtra during the Navratri season. The organization said the move was intended to preserve the cultural integrity of the festivals.
The call has been widely reported across the state, where Garba and Dandiya gatherings attract large crowds of participants from diverse communities.
The VHP’s demand immediately drew criticism from several quarters, including community leaders and civil‑society groups, who described the proposal as discriminatory and contrary to the inclusive spirit of the celebrations.
Observers noted that the controversy adds to existing communal sensitivities in the region, but no official response from the state government or law‑enforcement agencies has been recorded so far.
The call has been widely reported across the state, where Garba and Dandiya gatherings attract large crowds of participants from diverse communities.
The VHP’s demand immediately drew criticism from several quarters, including community leaders and civil‑society groups, who described the proposal as discriminatory and contrary to the inclusive spirit of the celebrations.
Observers noted that the controversy adds to existing communal sensitivities in the region, but no official response from the state government or law‑enforcement agencies has been recorded so far.