Durga Pooja pandals: VHP bans entry of non-Hindus in MP
Ahmedabad: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has displayed posters outside Durga Pooja pandals across Ratlam town and other cities in Madhya Pradesh, banning entry of non-Hindus in these venues.
The pandal organizers in Ratlam welcomed the VHP’s move to “avoid harassment of Hindu women.”
The VHP Dharma Prasar wing-in-charge, Chandan Sharma, said, “We are putting posters that allow only Hindus to enter the venues, as a section of people from other communities harass Hindu women and shoot their videos without permission. We have also asked the administration to check the identity cards to avoid any clash and mismanagement.”
Ratlam District Collector Kumar Purshottam said it was an issue between the VHP and the organizers.
Maa Ambey Durga Utsav Samiti President Mayur Purohit said the VHP has been allowed to put up posters at the pandal entry gates as the organizers did not want to create confusion on those entering the venues.
VHP’s regional in-charge Rajesh Tiwari said, “We are implementing this rule across the state because people from other communities use religious programs to impress Hindu women by using fake names. These men later pressurize them into converting religion for marital purposes. We are trying to protect our women from such fraudulent men.”
The Durga Puja, celebrated on Monday this year, is a major Indian festival that begins on the sixth day of Sharad Navratri and lasts till Dussehra. This festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the bull-headed demon, Mahishasura, as a symbol of good triumphing over evil.
Mainly celebrated by the Bengali community across India, the annually themed pandals include life-size idols of Goddesses Durga, Saraswati, and Lakshmi, and Lords Karthikeya, and Ganesh.
The pandals also organize various competitions, community shows, and food stalls.
(Avya Mathur)
