Amruta Fadnavis bats for inclusivity after BJP leader's call to bar Muslims at Garba

Amruta Fadnavis, social activist and wife of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has said Garba should not be restricted to one community, amid a political controversy over calls to bar Muslims from Navratri events in the state.Speaking to reporters in Chandrapur, Amruta Fadnavis said festivals are meant to be inclusive and that she saw nothing wrong with a Muslim person attending a Garba event and enjoying the celebrations peacefully.

"If a Muslim person also comes there and enjoys the festival properly, I do not see anything wrong in it," she said.Her remarks came after Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane backed the Vishva Hindu Parishad's (VHP) call to restrict Muslim participation in Garba and Dandiya events during Navratri. 'GARBA IS A NATIONAL CELEBRATION'Amruta Fadnavis described Garba as a "national celebration" that is also celebrated internationally.

She said people from any community or faith should be allowed to participate as long as they attend peacefully and do not cause any disruption.She, however, clarified that she had not studied in depth the other reasons cited by those calling for restrictions on Muslim participation.The VHP had announced "guidelines" for Garba and Dandiya organisers, including identity verification of participants. The organisation also called for measures such as checking Aadhaar cards and applying tilak on participants' foreheads.Rane subsequently backed the VHP's position, alleging that instances of "love jihad" increase during such festivals.

He also said people who do not believe in idol worship should not participate in Hindu religious events.RANE BACKS RESTRICTIONS, CITES 'LOVE JIHAD'Rane's comments have intensified the political debate over who should be allowed to attend Navratri events. The term "love jihad" is used by right-wing activists to allege that Muslim men deliberately enter relationships with Hindu women with the intention of religious conversion.Rane has also supported identity checks and other measures for people attending Garba events.AMRUTA FADNAVIS ON RULES FOR PUBLIC EVENTSAmruta Fadnavis also stressed that religious festivals should be celebrated while respecting rules governing public spaces.She said people have the freedom to follow their faith and practise their religion, but public celebrations should be conducted within the prescribed rules and should not inconvenience others.On the use of loud DJs at public events, she said she was not advocating a complete ban but maintained that sound systems should be operated within the limits and regulations prescribed for such occasions.Her comments come ahead of Navratri, which begins on October 11 this year, with the debate over participation in Garba events gaining political traction in Maharashtra.- EndsPublished By: Priyanka KumariPublished On: Sep 9, 2026 20:02 IST