Overview

• District collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh ordered organisers to verify entrants’ identity cards, install CCTV, ensure fire safety and first aid, and block weapons or suspicious items at venues.
• Madhya Pradesh minister Vishvas Sarang said Garba is a Sanatan Dharma ritual and asserted that only Hindus should attend, adding that participants should disclose their identity.
• Local hoardings outside some Bhopal pandals announced bans on “Jihadis” and listed entry conditions such as drinking Ganga Jal, wearing a tilak and kalava, and showing Aadhaar, drawing mixed public reactions as police monitored the sites.
• The VHP’s advisory for ID checks gained political backing as Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane called Garba events “epicentres” of “love jihad” and suggested preparing a “conversion procedure” for those who still attend.
• Chhattisgarh Waqf Board chairman Dr. Salim Raj appealed to Muslim youth to avoid Garba to preserve harmony, clarifying it was an appeal rather than an order and noting participation could occur with respect and organisers’ permission.