VHP’s call to bar Muslims from garba unconstitutional: Athawale

Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday opposed calls to bar Muslims from attending ‘garba’ events during the Navratri festival, and said India is governed by the Constitution, which guarantees equal rights to people of all religions.

Asked about Vishva Hindu Parishad’s call to bar Muslims from Navratri events in Maharashtra, Athawale said such a stand is not appropriate as people of different faiths have the right to participate in each other’s festivals.

The Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment was talking to reporters at Swami Vivekananda Airport here after arriving on a day-long visit to Chhattisgarh.

“I feel this stand is not right because India runs on the Constitution. The Constitution given by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar ensures justice to all religions. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Lingayats, Parsis and people of several other faiths live in India, and the Constitution seeks to protect all religions,” he said.

“It is not good to say that Muslims should not attend garba. Hindu and Muslim communities need to come together and work for the country,” said Athawale, who heads the Republican Party of India (A).

He cited the example of Ajmer Sharif Dargah in Rajasthan, saying a large number of Hindus visit the shrine. “Our country is such that people of all religions should participate in each other’s festivals. We oppose those taking such a stand. Such a stand is against the Constitution,” he asserted.

The VHP last week announced that Muslims would not be allowed entry to ‘garba’ and ‘dandiya’ venues across Maharashtra during the Navratri festival, which begins on October 11.

It has issued “guidelines” for organisers to verify participants’ identities during Navratri ‘garba’ and ‘dandiya’ events by checking their Aadhaar cards and applying ‘tilak’ on their foreheads.

Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane on Monday backed the VHP, alleging that cases of “love jihad” tend to increase during such festivals. He said attendees at such festivals should undergo identity checks and recite the Hanuman Chalisa before entry.

Love jihad’ is a term used by right-wing activists to allege a ploy by Muslim men to lure women (mostly from the Hindu community) into relationships for religious conversion.