Chhattisgarh Waqf Board Chief Appeals to Muslim Youths to Stay Away from Garba Pandals, Poonam Pandey Dropped from Ramlila
NEW DELHI, Sept 23: Amidst strong opposition from the right-wing organisations, particularly the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, the chairman of the State Waqf Board in the BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh on Tuesday appealed to the Muslim youths to stay away from Garba functions during the ongoing Navratri festival.
While the appeal resonates with such demands raised by right-wing leaders in recent years, this is a rare instance of the head of a Waqf Board — a body that works towards the management and regulation of Waqf properties — voicing their support.
In a statement posted on the Chhattisgarh Waqf Board’s official WhatsApp group, its chairman Salim Raj wrote that entering Garba venues with “malicious intent” hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community, potentially disrupting social harmony.
He wrote that Garba was not an ordinary dance event and was a devotional folk dance performed to worship Goddess Durga, symbolising the cycle of life and the goddess’s infinite power. “If the Muslim community does not believe in idol worship, they should stay away from religious events like Garba,” the statement added.
According to the statement, Mr Raj clarified that if any Muslim brother or sister wished to participate, respecting the attire and tradition and obtaining permission from the committee, there would be no objection. However, it added, “entering Garba venues with malicious intent and attempting to create a disturbance hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community, potentially disrupting social harmony.”
Mr Raj also clarified that he had issued the statement in official capacity and that it was an appeal and not an order. On the contents and the need to issue such an appeal, he said there had been controversies over the participation of Muslims in Pandals. “It’s a question of faith after all, Garba is not simply a dance floor,” he said.
The move has drawn criticism from some in the Muslim community. Salam Rizvi, a former Waqf chairman, said such appeals drew invisible boundaries between communities and that there should always be an attempt to encourage different communities to celebrate their festivals together. “Social harmony is affected when you distance people from one another,” he said. Mr Rizvi also underlined that while Mr Raj could issue such an appeal in his personal capacity, he was overstepping his brief as the Waqf chairman.
Meanwhile, after backlash from the BJP and the VHP, the organisers of Delhi’s Lav Kush Ramlila committee decided to part ways with actress Poonam Pandey who was offered to play the role of Mandodari (Ravana’s wife) in the 46-year-old Ramlila in the national capital.
In a letter to Ramlila committee, BJP’s spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor and VHP’s regional head Surendra Jain had said considering her controversial past, casting Ms Pandey in the mythological epic would hurt the religious sentiments of people.
Speaking to media on Tuesday Arjun Kumar, president of Lav Kush Ramlila Committee, which organises Ramlila at Red Fort, said due to the opposition by the people of the Hindu community, the organisers have decided to change the actor in the role of Mandodari. He said Ms Pandey has been communicated about the change.
“Ms Pandey was really looking forward to her role. She was even fasting to seek blessings of the god. It’s unfortunate that we have to drop her from the Ramlila,” Mr Kumar said. He added that Lord Ram used to teach ‘unity and peace’ to the world and if people start getting divided on opinions over casting someone in Ramlila, it would fail the purpose of the play and the life lessons of the lord. “We do not want the society to be divided in the name of Ramlila, hence it’s better to part ways with Ms Pandey. I will still say that everyone should be given a change to change,” he added.
The BJP and the VHP welcomed the move to drop Ms Pandey. Delhi BJP media head and spokesperson, Praveen Shankar Kapoor, said the announcement regarding Ms Pandey playing Mandodari had triggered widespread outrage among religious leaders, as well as social and political activists across Delhi. “By removing Poonam Pandey from the role of Mandodari, the Lav Kush Ramlila Committee has respected the religious sentiments of both the spiritual community and the general public,” said Mr Kapoor.
Surendra Gupta, secretary of VHP Delhi region, in his letter to the organisers of the Ramlila had said the organisation was not opposing any artist, but rather protecting the cultural legitimacy of public events related to sacred texts, such as the Ramayana, and the faith of devotees.
The Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta while talking to media on Tuesday said the BJP government in the capital has increased the time for Ramlila, Dandia and other cultural festivals from 10 p.m. to midnight. There is a ban to use loudspeakers during any function or cultural event in Delhi after 10 p.m.
“I have always noticed that our Hindu festivals face difficulties…. Ramlila, Durga Puja can never end at 10 p.m. When Dandia can continue throughout the night in Gujarat, when events can happen all night in other States, then what’s the issue with continuing the same for the people of Delhi? That’s why this time we have permitted all Ramlila, Durga Puja, and other cultural-religious festivities to continue until midnight,” Ms Gupta added.
(Manas Dasgupta)
