VHP Leader Demands Restrictions At Haridwar Ghats, Ardh Kumbh Mela Is Scheduled To Begin From January 14

7th January 2026 at 6:36 PM

1 minute read

Haridwar : A Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader has demanded a ban on non-Hindus from Ganga ghats in Haridwar ahead of the 2027 Ardh Kumbh Mela. The 45-day-long Ardh Kumbh Mela is scheduled to begin on January 14, 2027, on the occasion of Makar Sankranti, and conclude on Maha Shivratri.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Sadhvi Prachi said the Kumbh Mela area and Har-ki-Pauri should be declared an “Amrit Kshetra (area)”, with strict restrictions on the entry of non-Hindus. She alleged that there have been instances of what she termed “jihadi activities” in sacred spaces and claimed such elements could pose a threat to large religious congregations.

She also demanded the government to implement a law to bar “jihadi elements” from entering the Kumbh area and sought restrictions on property purchases by non-Hindus in the region. Drawing parallels with restrictions on non-Muslims in places like Mecca and Medina, Sadhvi Prachi said similar norms should apply to Haridwar to ensure religious practices and rituals take place without disruption.

Haridwar and the Nagar Palika area are predominantly Hindu, and festivals and snans should happen without any untoward incident,” she said. The VHP leader also cited last year’s car blast near Delhi’s iconic Red Fort, which killed 15 people, saying that doctors were involved in the incident. That material (ammonium nitrate) was used in the terror attack.

Praising Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for action against what she described as illegal madarsas, mazaars and “shiksha (education) jihad,” Sadhvi Prachi urged the state government to put robust arrangements in place ahead of the Ardh Kumbh Mela.