Haridwar: A fresh controversy has erupted in Uttarakhand after banners declaring “Non-Hindu Prohibited Area” were installed at Har Ki Pauri and several nearby Ganga ghats in Haridwar, reigniting a wider debate over access to public religious spaces ahead of the 2027 Kumbh.
The banners were put up by the Ganga Sabha, the traditional body entrusted with the management and maintenance of Har Ki Pauri and adjoining ghats. The move follows renewed demands to strictly enforce long-standing restrictions on the entry of non-Hindus in the core Kumbh area.
Several posters with “Entry of non Hindus prohibited” has come up at several places in and around Har-ki-Pauri in Haridwar. pic.twitter.com/3G9cyq4hrG
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) January 16, 2026
Temple authorities argue that the main bathing zone of Har Ki Pauri has historically remained restricted under provisions of the Haridwar Municipal Act of 1916. Citing a British-era agreement, Ganga Sabha leaders have said all ghats falling within the notified Kumbh limits should follow similar norms to preserve the sanctity of the site.
The issue gained momentum after a video went viral on social media showing two men in traditional Arab attire walking along the ghat, triggering outrage and calls for tighter enforcement. The men were later identified as Hindus creating online content, but the clip intensified the debate and prompted the installation of the banners.
हर की पैड़ी पर गैर हिंदुओं की एंट्री पर रोक वाले बोर्ड लगे#Haridwar #HarkiPauri #Uttarakhand@RubikaLiyaquat pic.twitter.com/IcQj6D66In
— News18 India (@News18India) January 16, 2026
Ganga Sabha president Nitin Gautam has demanded that existing restrictions be expanded beyond Har Ki Pauri to cover all remaining ghats across Haridwar, particularly in view of the upcoming Kumbh.
Reacting to the controversy, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the state government would examine the suggestions of the Ganga Sabha and other religious bodies, noting that their views are often taken into account during major religious events.
Opposition parties, however, have sharply criticised the move, calling it unconstitutional and divisive. Samajwadi Party leader S T Hasan said public religious sites cannot be treated as private property and warned that such restrictions risk fuelling social discord.
As Haridwar prepares for Kumbh 2027, the banners at Har Ki Pauri have once again brought questions of tradition, law and constitutional rights into sharp public focus.
