Madhya Pradesh: VHP puts up posters to stop non-Hindus from entering Durga Puja pandals in Ratlam

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has put up posters in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam district stating that people of other faiths were prohibited from entering Durga Puja pandals where the traditional Garba dance is performed, PTI reported on Monday.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad is an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent body of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Hindutva organisation said it had put up such posters at 56 pandals in the district.

Chandan Sharma, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad Dharm Prachar Vibhag district secretary for Ratlam, said this was done to “avoid any clash and harassment of Hindu women”, the Hindustan Times reported.

He alleged that men from other communities harass Hindu women and shoot their videos without permission in Durga Puja pandals. “To avoid any clash and mismanagement, we have asked the administration to check the identity cards [of those entering pandals],” Sharma said.

Sharma claimed “controversial incidents” had occurred last year when youth from other communities were allowed to enter pandals. To avoid such incidents, Sharma said, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad had put up posters with the permission of the festival organising committees.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad Madhya Kshetra in-charge, Rajesh Tiwari, said that the organisation will implement this move across the state.

Targeting Muslims, he alleged that they use religious functions to “befool the women of the Hindu community”. Tiwari also made unsubstantiated claims that by using fake names, Muslim men go on to lure Hindu women and later pressurise them to change their religion through marriage.

“Now, we will save our women from these fraudsters,” he declared.

Ratlam Sub Divisional Magistrate Abhishek Gehlot told PTI that the administration will look into the Vishwa Hindu Parishad posters if they receive any complaints.