Two Girls in Kota Allege They Were Barred from Garba Event Due to Their Religion
Kota, Rajasthan: A viral video from Kota has sparked outrage after two Muslim girls claimed they were barred from entering a Garba event at the city’s Chhappan Bhog Ground due to their religion.
The girls said they had purchased entry passes, but organisers stopped them at the gate, citing their faith. “When we bought the tickets, no one told us that non-Sanatani participants would not be allowed. If we had known, we wouldn’t have bought the passes,” one of them said in the video.
They alleged that while organisers refunded their money, they faced public humiliation. One student remarked, “If Muslim girls aren’t allowed inside, why were passes sold to us in the first place?” Another added, “Kota is known as an education hub of India, but is this what we are teaching—that Muslims cannot enter a Garba pandal?”
The duo said the tickets carried a list of instructions, but no mention of a restriction for non-Hindus. “You had no issue taking money from non-Sanatani buyers, but refused us entry,” one of them alleged, adding that a few others also faced similar treatment. Calling it “a narrow mindset in 2025,” she said they felt deeply insulted.
In another clip, the girls claimed they were thrown out and told, “If you are Muslim, you cannot stay here. Only non-Muslims can participate in Garba.” They revealed they had been preparing for the celebration for a month and had attended such events every year in the past without objection.
Despite the refund, the students stressed that the insult and exclusion left them hurt, questioning why such restrictions were not clearly mentioned beforehand.