'Apply Tilak, Drink Gangajal...': Madhya Pradesh BJP Leader's Diktat To Non-Hindus Wishing To Perform Garba

(MENAFN- Live Mint) As India gears up for Navratri, a BJP MLA in Madhya Pradesh has stirred controversy by saying that if non-Hindus wish to take part in garba festivities, they will have follow certain practices, which include applying tilak on their foreheads, drinking Gangajal, and performing aarti while wearing dhoti-kurta, as per a report by Times of India.

These claims were made by Rameshwar Sharma, the MLA from Huzur. His comments come in the wake of rising calls from within the state to bar non-Hindus from taking part in garba festivities.

"They should apply tilak on their forehead, have prasad of the goddess, wear dhoti and kurta and bring his parents and other relatives along too. Anyone wanting to accept sanatan dharma and perform 'devi aradhana' (worshipping the goddess), is welcome," Sharma also said, as per the publication.

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Sharma has called for those wishing to do the garba to first "return to the Sanatan fold" since, according to him, everyone in India has the 'Hindu DNA' and some converted to other religions in the recent past.

Besides this, Sharma has issued a threat: "If non-Hindus in garba grounds are found misbehaving with women, their homes would be razed with bulldozers."

His views were backed by the Madhya Pradesh State minister for youth affairs, Vishwas Sarang, who is of the opinion that only those who have faith in the Sanatan dharma and worship 'Sherawali Mata' should be allowed to take part in the garba.

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"Garba is an auspicious sanatan tradition, where we worship the goddess and is performed around the idol of 'Sherawali Mata'. So why should those who are not Hindus do this? Do they visit temples the way Hindus do? Then why should they come to garba grounds? Non-Hindus would not be permitted to enter garba grounds," the publication reported him as saying.

A similar stance was taken by Bhopal MP Alok Sharma, who insisted that people should be content participating in events and practices of their respective faiths only.

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