Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A garba event was cancelled in Indore after Bajrang Dal activists raised questions over its Muslim organiser.
The event scheduled at the Bhawarkua area was cancelled on Wednesday on Day 1 of Navratri. The Bajrang Dal activists accused the organiser, Firoz Khan, of promoting Love Jihad.
The complaint further raised questions about how someone who does not believe in idol worship could conduct a nine-day religious event with proper rituals. Bajrang Dal had earlier alerted the police about such events and requested restrictions on entry for people from specific communities (referring to Muslims).
The police responded to the complaint and removed posters and pandal structure materials from the event site.
According to Bhawar Kuan Police Station In-Charge (TI) Rajkumar Yadav, Bajrang Dal activist Rameshwar Dangi and others filed a formal complaint. Dangi claimed that the event, organized by Firoz Khan under the name "Shikhar Garba Mandal" in Bhawana Nagar, had been taking place for several years and was allegedly used to promote love jihad. Dangi reported that they had gathered this information from social media.
After reviewing the situation and following warnings from Bajrang Dal, the police cancelled the event late at night to avoid potential conflict. They removed tents and other setup materials. The event had been organized under the name of Deepak Hardia, but it was ultimately called off following the intervention.
