Garba organizers in Ujjain invoke Aadhaar cards to restrict non-Hindus amid 'Love Jihad' concerns

The organizers defended their decision, asserting that it is not rooted in religious bias but rather seeks to combat "love jihad" and to control entry for those perceived as promoting disharmony.

In a controversial move, the organizers of the Garba festival in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, have reportedly imposed a ban on non-Hindu participants, in an effort to prevent what has come to be known as "love jihad." This decision, as reported by the media, has stirred significant debate and concern.

The Sankalp Sanskriti Sanstha, the event's organizers, are taking the unusual step of scrutinizing participants' Aadhaar cards and requiring male attendees to be "welcomed with a Tilak," an action seen as an attempt to confirm their Hindu faith.

Interestingly, law enforcement authorities appear to have taken a lenient stance on these unconventional restrictions, categorizing the event as private. Ujjain's Superintendent of Police, Sachin Sharma, was quoted saying, "It is their private function, and they have issued passes for entry to the event. What is the objection in this?"

District Collector Kumar Purushottam, on the other hand, expressed a lack of awareness about these developments and pledged to investigate if a formal complaint was lodged.

The organizers defended their decision, asserting that it is not rooted in religious bias but rather seeks to combat "love jihad" and to control entry for those perceived as promoting disharmony.

This move has reignited the debate surrounding 'love jihad,' a term often employed to describe interfaith relationships and alleged attempts at forced religious conversion. Critics argue that it has been misused to stigmatize interfaith relationships, contributing to an environment of apprehension and distrust.

Last year, a controversy surrounding Garba events escalated when police officers publicly flogged three Muslim men on charges of pelting stones at a Navratri festival event in Undhela village in Kheda district.