A day after Shri Ganga Sabha president Nitin Gautam sought a ban on non-Hindus from entering the Kumbh Mela area, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said he would discuss the matter and implement appropriate measures.
On Sunday, citing bylaws that ban the entry of non-Hindus into Har ki Pauri, the president of the sabha that manages the area and the surrounding Ganga ghats, Nitin Gautam, said the rules were framed with a 100-year outlook. “So, we need to plan for the next 100 years ahead. Those people who have little connection to our religion, culture, and sentiments… this is one of the biggest festivals of Sanatan to be held in Ujjain, Allahabad, Nasik and Haridwar, and the entry of non-Hindus would only lead to some loss for us. We seek that only Hindus be permitted to enter the area where the Kumbh will take place.”
The Kumbh is scheduled to take place in January 2027.
He added that after gauging the environment, “it is important to ensure that the space is exclusively reserved for Hindus”.
Responding to media queries, Chief Minister Dhami said the government would hold talks with priest groups to reach an appropriate resolution. “Haridwar is the central seat of Hinduism and is on the banks of the Ma Ganga. We are taking measures in accordance with it. We are looking into acts governing the region and will hold discussions with the priests to bring out suitable proposals,” he said.
A source in the CMO said it would be impractical to implement such a proposal because of the footfall of tourists from across the world in the region.
Manglaur MLA Qazi Nizamuddin said they have never violated the bylaws restricting entry into Har ki Pauri. “I abide by the law that no non-Hindu is allowed to go to Har ki Pauri. However, other than that, it is not practical. There is no clarity on the area that will be limited, and Jwalapur in the municipal limits has a sizable Muslim population. There are dozens of Muslim corporators in the municipal corporation; there needs to be an appropriate decision, and we cannot take an extreme step in this regard,” he said.
Nizamuddin also called the row an attempt to divert public attention from the Ankita Bhandari case, in which the BJP is “facing resentment”.
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Haridwar recorded 3.49 crore visitors in 2024, the highest in the state, and the Kumbh Mela is expected to provide employment and economic opportunities. Such a ban could affect livelihoods, especially of Muslims who make up a considerable number in the region.
In 2024, three Muslim MLAs — Congress MLA Qazi Nizamuddin from Manglaur, BSP MLA Mohammad Shahzad from Laksar, and Congress MLA Furqan Ahmed from Piran Kaliyar — opted out of an event at Har ki Pauri following pushback from the Shri Ganga Sabha, which cited the 1935 municipal laws barring the entry of non-Hindus into the area.
