By Scroll Staff
The Ganga Sabha, which administers the Har-ki-Pauri ghat in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar, on Friday installed hoardings and banners prohibiting the entry of non-Hindus at the religious site, the Hindustan Times reported.
Nandan Kumar, town commissioner of the Haridwar Municipal Corporation, told the newspaper that the matter had come to the notice of the authorities, but no directive had yet been issued. He added that action would be taken once instructions were received from the state government.
Ganga Sabha chief Nitin Gautam, however, cited a municipal bylaw enacted in 1916 under the guidance of Congress leader Madan Mohan Malviya, which reportedly restricted the entry, residence and commercial activities of non-Hindus in the Har-ki-Pauri area.
“Given the increasing influx of visitors and instances of non-Hindus entering this holy site, we are merely adhering to these provisions,” the newspaper quoted Gautam as saying.
He added that the regulation should be extended to the remaining ghats, The Indian Express reported.
“We had earlier demanded a ban on the entry of non-Hindus not only at Har-ki-Pauri but also at all 105 Ganga ghats in Haridwar to preserve the sanctity and spiritual significance of this ancient Hindu pilgrimage site,” the Hindustan Times quoted him as saying.
He said that the managing body had put up boards informing visitors about the prohibition on Friday.
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