The Uttarakhand government is thinking about banning non-Hindus from all 105 ghats in Haridwar. Right now, only Har-ki-Pauri has this rule, but if they go ahead, it’ll cover the entire area.
Uttarakhand Govt Considers Ban on Non-Hindus at All Haridwar Ghats
This move isn’t new. There’s actually an old agreement from 1916, when the British were in charge, that said something similar.
This idea came up because some religious leaders and people from the Ganga Sabha—the group that looks after Har-ki-Pauri—have been asking for it.
The government’s also looking at whether to declare Haridwar and Rishikesh as “sanatan pavitra shehar,” or holy cities, according to The Times of India.
Officials say things could start rolling around the Ardh Kumbh festival, which kicks off on Makar Sankranti, January 14, 2027. They’re digging into that 1916 agreement between Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya who was the first president of the Ganga Sabha and a Bharat Ratna awardee and the British.
Back then, the goal was to keep the Ganga flowing freely and to protect Haridwar’s spiritual vibe. The agreement kept non-Hindus out of the river ghats and didn’t let them live permanently in Haridwar or Rishikesh, except for work.
Sources say the government is “seriously looking” at bringing back those old rules.
Uttarakhand Weighs ‘Sanatan Holy City’ Status for Haridwar
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami weighed in, saying the government will do whatever it takes to protect the spiritual and cultural identity of Devbhoomi.
He called Haridwar and Rishikesh major centers of faith for sanatan believers and confirmed the “sanatan city” idea is on the table.
On Sunday, the Shri Ganga Sabha, which manages Har-ki-Pauri and the nearby ghats, demanded that the Kumbh Mela area become a restricted zone for non-Hindus before the 2027 Ardh Kumbh.
Their president, Nitin Gautam, told reporters that banning non-Hindus from all Ganga ghats and religious sites in the area is urgent. He supported the government’s plan to hold a big, spiritual Kumbh next year.
Gautam also pointed out that municipal rules already say Haridwar is a non-Hindu and meat-alcohol free zone, and pushed for strict enforcement to keep the city holy. He claimed that some non-Hindus are living in places like Bairagi Camp by hiding their identities and said the government should find and remove them.
How did the opposition react?
But not everyone agrees. Ashok Tripathi, former Ganga Sabha president, said the local by-laws already ban non-Hindus from Har-ki-Pauri unless they’re on government duty, but he doesn’t personally support a broader ban.
Opposition parties slammed the idea of a blanket ban. Congress leader Ashok Sharma asked, “Are BJP-RSS bigger Hindus than Madan Mohan Malviya, who only wanted the ban at Har-ki-Pauri?”
