Devotees take bath at Har Ki Pouri, in Haridwar, Monday, Oct. 11, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
Haridwar: Three local Muslim MLAs invited by the district administration to a 'Deepotsav' event at Har ki Pauri ghat here did not attend the event after strong objections from the Ganga Sabha which manages the ghats.
However, the Muslim MLAs -- two of them from the Congress and one of the BSP -- on Tuesday cited personal reasons for not attending the event which was held a day ago in the presence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
Following the protocol, the administration had invited all the 11 MLAs from the district to the event including Congress MLA from Manglaur Qazi Nizamuddin, BSP MLA from Laksar Mohammad Shahzad and Congress MLA from Piran Kaliyar Furqan Ahmed.
However, the Ganga Sabha expressed strong objection to the entry of Muslim MLAs at Har ki Pauri, calling it "illegal" as per the Municipal Act of 1935.
"Har ki Pauri is a holy place for Hindus. In 1935, to maintain the sanctity of the ghat, the entry of non-Hindus was completely banned as per the Municipal Act. This provision in the Act is fully applicable at present," Ganga Sabha president Nitin Gautam told PTI.
Gautam said when the Ganga Sabha expressed its opposition to the invitation being extended to the Muslim MLAs, it was told that the invitation was given as part of protocol but they would not come.
"We had also asked the administration to ensure they do not come and if they do, we will not let them enter Har ki Pauri," Gautam said.
When approached, no official from the district administration came forward to comment on the controversy.
On being approached by PTI, BSP MLA Shahzad said, "We were invited by the administration but we deliberately did not attend because such programmes become personal programmes of the BJP." On the opposition by the Ganga Sabha, he said no one "stopped them from coming". "The Ganga belongs to everyone. We have also bathed at Har ki Pauri many times," he said.
The other two Muslim MLAs also cited personal reasons as well as their preoccupation with Maharashtra assembly elections for not attending the programme.
Reacting to the BSP MLA's claim that he had bathed at Har ki Pauri, the Ganga Sabha president said, "If someone comes hiding his identity, what can we do. But if he comes revealing his identity, then an answer will be given."