The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has issued decree of new rules to ensure only the participation and entry of Hindus in the programs of Navratri and Garba. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said that to participate in Garba programs, participants have to apply tilak before entering, tie Raksha Sutras and worship Hindu deities.

Prashant Titare, General Secretary of VHP Vidarbha province in Nagpur, Maharashtra, said on Saturday (September 20, 2025) that apart from this, all the participants will also be sprinkled cow urine. He said that VHP and Bajrang Dal workers will also monitor Garba pandals, so that all these rules can be followed on Sunday (September 21, 2025) to October 1, 2025.

VHP claimed that all this is being done so that only people of Hinduism can be involved in Garba programs and incidents like ‘Love Jihad’ can be avoided. Every year many steps are taken on this issue before Navratri.

Garba is not just a dance, a religious ritual to please Goddess- Nair

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) national spokesperson Shriraj Nair told the news agency PTI, ‘Garba is not just a dance, but a religious ritual to please the goddess. They (signs to the Muslim community) do not believe in idol worship. Only participate in these programs, which have faith in all these rituals.

Opposition and government responded to the matter

Opposition parties in Maharashtra accused the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Sangh Parivar of spreading partitions in the society. At the same time, Maharashtra government minister and senior BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, ‘We can decide our rules. If they have got permission from the police for organizing the program, then there is no problem.

While BJP’s media chief Navnath Ban said, “Garba is a Hindu event and people of other religions should not interfere in this.”

Vhp Sanjay Raut failed on the rules of

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said, ‘This is an attempt to create a communal atmosphere inside the country. Creating such a communal atmosphere is their livelihood. I am not talking about respect as all religions, but the kind of poison being spread is not right for Maharashtra and the country.

At the same time, the Congress took a strong stand and said, ‘Organizations associated with BJP can go to any extent to gain power or maintain. Their purpose is to share the country more and do politics in the name of religion. Maharashtra’s strength has always been unity in diversity, it should not be weakened.

Also read: Piyush Goyal will go on a tour of America amidst tariff tension, will talk on business issue