Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced that non-Hindus participating in the Char Dham Yatra will have to undergo verification at the outset. CM Dhami made the announcement on Tuesday while talking to the media on various issues concerning the state.
In his media interaction, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami talked about his stand concerning the demand for banning Non-Hindus in the Char Dham Yatra happening this year. Such a demand, on various fronts, was raised by Hindu religious seers in the state who demanded a complete ban on non-Hindus in the Char Dham Yatra concerning the recent incidents of violence on Hindu temples and processions.
On Tuesday, CM Dhami addressed this issue saying, “We should live in peace. The religion and culture of the state should be preserved. On an administrative level, the government will also run a drive on this issue. Those who have not been verified here correctly will undergo a process of verification. No person will be allowed to enter the state who s intended to disturb the law and order of Uttarakhand.”
The decision hinted at by CM Dhami comes after Shankaracharya Parishad Chief and Shambhavi Dham Head Priest Swami Anand Swaroop wrote a letter to him reiterating that only Hindus be allowed to participate in the Char Dham Yatra. BJP leader Sadhvi Prachi had also demanded the same, besides asking to make a dress code compulsory for pilgrims during the visit. The demand was backed by the Akhil Bhartiya Akhada Parishad with Chief Ravindra Puri stating, “The way Hindu processions and rallies are being attacked in different parts of India, one day, it could be Char Dham shrines.”
Char Dham Yatra to commence on May 3
The Char Dham Yatra will commence on May 3, this year after the gates at Gangotri and Yamunotri open. The Yatra entails religious visits to four holy Hindu places of worship including Kedarnath, Badrinath and Gangotri and Yamunotri. In response to the expected increase in footfalls this year, the state Ministry of Tourism has decided to make verification and registration mandatory for all pilgrims participating in the yatra.