Muslim men are not allowed to enter Navratri venues; Here’s why!

This Navrati, it’s the dance of politics that is grabbing headlines. ‘Love jihad’ theory has reared its ugly head in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Garba events are at the centre of the controversy as reports emerge of young Muslim men trying to enter the venues. Outfits like the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have decided to play police and monitor who enters these gatherings.

A crackdown on Muslim men
This week’s issue began when Bajrang Dal members detained four Muslims at Garba events in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. They were allegedly beaten by them and made to leave. Videos showing Dal employees abusing kids quickly went viral on social media. It is still unknown why they were chosen as targets. According to a VHP official, the goal was to keep non-religious persons out of the Navratri celebrations.

Photographing girls? Police in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore have arrested Muslim youths from Garba pandals. The men allegedly use fake ID cards or names to gain entry to the events. According to a Bajrang Dal activist, the youths at one pandal were trying to take photographs and videos of girls at the gathering.

Putting tilaks, checking ID cards
Right-wing groups have demanded that identity cards of those entering Garba celebrations should be checked so that Muslim men can be kept away. At many venues, Muslims have been refused entry because of allegedly luring young Hindu women. In Ahmedabad, Hindu men holding placards displaying messages against ‘love jihad’ were spotted. In Maharashtra’s Nagpur, the VHP called for mandatory Aadhar card checking before entry into pandals.

All of it’s politics
Before allowing visitors into the dance pandals, Madhya Pradesh has requested that Garba organisers check their IDs. The action was taken after Usha Thakur, the MP Culture Minister, advised that access into Garba locations should only be permitted after checking identity. Such occasions, according to her, have evolved into a form of ‘love jihad’.

Bhopal Lok Sabha MP Pragya Singh Thakur encouraged the ban on the minority community from the Garba festivities. The Congress has hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party in Madhya Pradesh. ‘On the one hand, the RSS chief goes to a mosque and meets the imam and the state BJP president halts his speech at Pandhurna on hearing the azaan’.