A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Madhya Pradesh has sparked a row by suggesting that Garba event organisers make participants sip ‘gaumutra’ (cow urine) before entering the pandal during the Navratri festival. The controversial demand, aimed at ensuring that only Hindus participate in Garba celebrations, has ignited sharp political reactions ahead of key assembly elections.
Chintu Verma, BJP’s Indore president, told reporters, “We have requested Garba organisers to ensure that everyone performs ‘aachaman’ with cow urine before allowing them to enter the pandals.” He further justified the move, stating that Aadhaar cards, which are commonly used for identification, can be altered, but a ‘gaumutra aachaman’ would serve as an unquestionable proof of one’s Hindu identity.
Aachaman, in Hindu tradition, refers to sipping water while reciting mantras for purification before engaging in religious rituals. Verma’s recommendation has stirred debate, with critics accusing the BJP of using religion for political gain.
In response, Congress was quick to condemn the statement, calling it a blatant attempt to polarize voters. Congress spokesperson Neelabh Shukla criticized the BJP’s silence on the conditions of cow shelters while highlighting the political undertones of Verma’s suggestion. “Raising the cow urine aachaman demand is the BJP’s new trick of playing polarisation politics,” Shukla said. He also challenged BJP leaders to perform the aachaman themselves and post videos online.
This controversy comes as several states, including Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, and Maharashtra, gear up for assembly elections. The BJP’s focus on cultural and religious themes has increasingly come under scrutiny in recent months.
The issue gained further traction after reports emerged of Garba organisers in Madhya Pradesh checking Aadhaar cards of attendees to prevent non-Hindus from entering. This practice has been widely criticized as discriminatory and has added fuel to the ongoing debate about the politicization of cultural events in India.
As the assembly elections approach, this incident is likely to keep women’s safety and religious identity in the spotlight, intensifying the political battle between the BJP and its opposition.