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Escalating Tensions: Board Banning Garba Near Mosque Sparks Controversy in Gujarat, Leaders Booked

  • Nishadil
  • September 17, 2025
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Escalating Tensions: Board Banning Garba Near Mosque Sparks Controversy in Gujarat, Leaders Booked

A recent incident in Undhela village, Kheda district of Gujarat, has once again brought to the forefront delicate communal sensitivities during festive seasons. A controversial board, explicitly stating a ban on Garba, was discovered erected in close proximity to a local mosque, igniting immediate concern and swift action from authorities.

The appearance of the prohibitory signage, which emerged amidst ongoing Navratri celebrations organized by the village sarpanch, quickly drew the attention of local law enforcement.

Following an investigation, two prominent Muslim community leaders, identified as Mianbhai Malek and Jaharbhai Malek, were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Charges include promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion (Section 153-A), criminal intimidation (Section 506(2)), and being part of an unlawful assembly (Section 143).

Upon discovery, police officials promptly arrived at the scene and removed the contentious board.

This incident, however, is not an isolated one but rather echoes previous tensions in the same village. It follows closely on the heels of a serious stone-pelting incident that occurred during a Garba event just last year, in October 2022, at the very same location near the Undhela village mosque.

The 2022 Garba event, also organized by the sarpanch and involving a mixed gathering of villagers, was tragically disrupted by a barrage of stones.

The violence left several individuals, including a police constable and the village sarpanch himself, injured. The aftermath of that clash saw the arrest of 43 individuals from the Muslim community and the registration of an FIR against them, highlighting the deep-seated friction surrounding religious observances and public spaces in the area.

The re-emergence of such a divisive issue, particularly the attempt to unilaterally restrict a traditional cultural and religious event, underscores the fragility of communal harmony in certain regions.

Authorities are maintaining a heightened state of vigilance to prevent further escalation and ensure that the spirit of religious and cultural coexistence is upheld, even as investigations into this latest incident continue to unfold.

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