An incident occurred during the Garba event in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, which sparked controversy among festival participants. A demand was made for Muslims and representatives of other faiths to leave the dance floor. This incident triggered active discussions on social media. Following this, the renowned folk singer from Gujarat, Aditya Gadhvi, publicly distanced himself from the statement.
This incident took place on October 14th at the 'Rang Morla' Garba event in Ahmedabad. Aditya Gadhvi was performing as the main artist, with RDD Akash Trivedi as the host. According to reports, during a break in the program, the host addressed him with a call for non-Muslims and Muslims to vacate the venue.
The statement also mentioned the presence of activists from the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). Furthermore, Garba attendees were asked to report any suspicious individuals via a special hotline number. Video recordings of this announcement quickly spread across social media, escalating the dispute significantly.
When disagreements arose, Aditya Gadhvi clarified his position, stating that it was not his message. In an Instagram post, he emphasized that he was not involved in the events that took place at the gathering. According to him, some people had occupied the backstage area and used his stage to voice statements that he does not support.
In his message, Aditya mentioned the spirit of Garba, noting that Garba never asked anyone their surname. He stressed that for generations, people of different religions in Gujarat and all over India have participated in Garba together, and this is its beauty. He added that anyone who comes with love and respect for the goddess is welcome.
The public also reacted with anger on social media. Many users questioned the demand to leave based on religious affiliation. Some argued that if there are concerns about someone's behavior, the behavior should be discussed, not the person targeted because of their religion.
Nevertheless, a VHP representative from Gujarat, Hitendra Singh Rajput, defended such actions. According to PTI, he stated that activists from the youth wing of VHP, Bajrang Dal, attend Garba events in the state and demand that organizers do not allow non-Muslims. He also reported that at some events, people are marked with a tilak on their forehead, and suspected individuals are removed.
Garba is a traditional dance associated with the worship of Goddess Durga during Navratri. In December 2023, Garba from Gujarat was inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Thus, this event in Ahmedabad once again raised the question of how to preserve the spirit of universal unity at collective festivals like Garba, between faith, traditions, and religious identity.