A fresh controversy has unfolded in Haridwar after the Ganga Sabha, the managing body of the Brahmakund sanctum and surrounding ghats at Har-ki-Pauri, put up boards announcing that non-Hindus are not permitted to enter the area. These boards were put up on Friday to “preserve the sanctity and spiritual significance of this ancient Hindu pilgrimage site”. Photos and videos from the ghats showing the boards that have text written in Hindi are going viral on social media.
“Ahindu pravesh nishedh chetra [Entry of non-Hindus prohibited],” the text on red-coloured boards read.
Several posters with “Entry of non Hindus prohibited” has come up at several places in and around Har-ki-Pauri in Haridwar. pic.twitter.com/3G9cyq4hrG
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) January 16, 2026
These signs were put up after a video went viral three days ago showing two young men wearing Kandura (traditional Arab attire) roaming in the Har Ki Pauri area. However, it was later revealed that these two young men were Hindus and had come to make a video for their YouTube channel.
The district administration said it has taken note of the development but has not yet received any official directive from the state government. Haridwar municipal corporation town commissioner Nandan Kumar said, “We will act as per government instructions when they are issued.”
Ganga Sabha President Cites 1916 Bylaws
Defending the move, Ganga Sabha president Nitin Gautam said the organisation was only following long-standing municipal provisions dating back to 1916, framed under the guidance of BHU founder Pt Madan Mohan Malviya. These bylaws, he said, restricted the entry, residence and business activities of non-Hindus in the Har-ki-Pauri zone.
He added, “Given the increasing influx of visitors and instances of non-Hindus entering this holy site, we are merely adhering to these provisions,” before saying that they had earlier demanded a blanket ban on the entry of non-Hindus at all 105 Ganga ghats in Haridwar.
The boards were installed at multiple points around Har Ki Pauri under the supervision of Ganga Sabha secretary Ujjwal Pundit, who said such steps were necessary to “maintain the sanctity” of the ghats.
The body has also urged the state government not to deploy non-Hindu officials and police personnel on duty at Har Ki Pauri. However, officials pointed out that the revised municipal bylaws of 1954 allow government employees to enter restricted areas while on official duty, even if they are non-Hindu.
Boards Installed To Divert Attention From Governance Issues: Congress
The development has drawn sharp political reactions. The Congress party criticised the move, calling it “divisive”.
Former Haridwar municipal committee chairperson and Sonipat MP Satpal Brahmachari questioned its practicality, noting that the Kumbh Mela area extends up to Roorkee, where a large non-Hindu population lives. “Instead of raising divisive issues, the focus should be on better arrangements for the upcoming Ardh Kumbh,” he added.
Manglaur MLA Qazi Nizamuddin also accused the ruling party of politicising the issue to “divert attention” from “governance issues such as law and order, corruption, the Kashipur suicide case, the Vineet Tyagi custodial death, land disputes in Rishikesh, and competitive exam paper leaks”.
The BJP, however, hit back at the Congress, calling its criticism an example of “appeasement politics”. State BJP president Mahendra Bhatt stated that religious traditions must be respected in matters related to sacred sites and events such as the Kumbh Mela.
“The rule regarding non-Hindu entry in certain sacred areas of Haridwar is not new; it has been implicitly followed for decades. Everyone should respect and abide by the traditions set by religious leaders and the local priestly community,” he said.
“No non-Hindu would come to bathe in the Ganga at Haridwar with the intention of attaining religious virtue. So why should anyone object to following existing traditions?” he added.
