Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – A controversy has erupted after Ganga Sabha, which oversees the Har-ki-Pauri ghat, raised objection to the presence of Muslim MLAs at the state’s Foundation Day event being held at the ghat in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar on Monday.
The Sabha said that there is a long-standing rule barring “non-Hindus” from entering the ghat – a restriction reportedly in place under the Haridwar Municipal Act of 1935 during British rule.
The event was attended by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami with several BJP leaders in attendance. As per protocol, the Haridwar district administration also invited local MLAs, including BSP MLA Mohammad Shahzad from Laksar and Congress MLAs Furqan Ahmed and Qazi Nizamuddin from Piran Kaliyar and Manglaur, respectively. However, all three legislators failed to attend the event.
A Ganga Sabha member confirmed to The Times of India that “some issues were raised,” but declined to elaborate, saying only that “everything went well.” Anuj Walia, the state coordinator for the Bajrang Dal, opposed the invitation to the MLAs. “Har-ki-Pauri is a holy place for Hindus, and entry of Muslims is not allowed there,” he told the newspaper. Walia claimed the administration acknowledged the error and assured that such an invitation would not be extended in the future.
However, the opposition to the invitation to Muslim MLAs at the state’s event has also come under criticism. Former IB officer Yashovardhan Jha Azad termed the opposition “unfair” as it was a state event.
“Haridwar administration correctly invited the 3 Muslim MLAs from the region for the event, State Foundation Day. It is an unfair move by Ganga Sabha, the body administering the Ghat, to oppose it. It was a state event and no one else could interfere. If Har-ki-Pauri is out of bounds for non-Hindus and the order exists from British days it’s time to change the order. Let our temples of faith be open to all, seen by all, and get impressed by our all-encompassing dharma. Let them see and join us if they want to. What are we afraid of? Ghettoism makes us small. Let’s rise above it @pushkardhami,” said Azad, who also served as Central Information Commissioner.
On the other hand, Nizamuddin clarified that he and Furqan Ahmed could not attend the event as they were both out of the state, campaigning in Maharashtra for the upcoming assembly elections there. “My party has given me a key role in the Maharashtra assembly elections and I have been campaigning for the party for the past few weeks. Furqan Ahmed is also campaigning in Maharashtra,” Nizamuddin told The Times of India.
Shahzad said he does not care about the opposition as he respects the sanctity of Ganga.
“We don’t care about the resistance by right-wing outfits as they are working on an agenda to polarise society. We know the sanctity of Ganga and Har-ki-Pauri and as residents of Haridwar district, we respect it,” he said.
He also noted his reluctance to attend government events due to previous experiences, alleging they are often “hijacked” by BJP leaders who sideline other elected representatives. He criticised the event’s focus, arguing that funds could have been better allocated for development work rather than ceremonial gatherings.
Haridwar District Magistrate Karmendra Singh defended the invitations, stating that the administration was following standard protocol for district MLAs, while also being mindful of the Ganga Sabha’s concerns, according to the Times of India report.