No Need To Hide Identity For Garba, Says Madhya Pradesh Minister

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Monday said people of any faith can worship Goddess Durga and there was no need for anyone to hide their identity while entering pandals where 'garba' performances are also organised during Navratri.

The Madhya Pradesh government has asked garba organisers to check the identity cards of people before allowing them entry inside pandals during Navratri which will end on October 4. Last month, state culture minister Usha Thakur had suggested the entry inside garba venues during the Navratri festival should be allowed only after checking ID cards to prevent incidents of "Love Jihad".

Home Minister Mishra, who is also the state government spokesperson, was responding to questions about checking identity cards of people entering garba venues and also on reports based on videos on social media that shops belonging to members of a minority community were being forcibly removed from near pandals.

“On the issue of pandals, especially the organisers of garba, were told to check ID proofs of people before allowing them entry inside pandals. I had also told people at the time that if they wish to worship Maa (Durga), then a person of any faith can do it separately. But if they want to come here (garba pandals), then they should reveal their identity, there was no need for them to hide identity,” Mishra said.

Traditional garba dance events are organised during the nine-day Navratri festival.

Five persons were booked on Sunday after a clash between two groups amid a garba dispute in village Kankar in the state's Agar Malwa district.

A video of the incident surfaced on social media in which men and women can be seen attacking each other with sticks.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Naval Singh Sisodia said on Sunday the clash started following a dispute between two groups over calling women garba dancers from outside.

“A person identified as Toofan Singh Sondhia objected to the presence of outside women, following which another group attacked him and others. Four people were hospitalised with injuries. A case has been registered on a complaint of Sondhia,” he said.

Family members of one Rameshwar Malviya were also targeted by Sondhia during the clash, eyewitnesses said.

On a separate complaint lodged by Malviya, a counter case under relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (victims were Dalit) was registered against Sondhia and others on late Sunday night, a police official added.

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