Haridwar — Stoking another controversy , BJP MP Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday called for barring non-Hindus in Har Ki Pauri, a famous ghat along the banks of the Ganga in Haridwar.
“Non-Hindus should be prohibited from visiting Hari Ki Pauri. It is necessary both from the point of view of religion and the security of the ghat,” Adityanath said addressing a felicitation ceremony organized by the Panchayati Akhara Udaseen (Naya).
One of the most popular tourist spots in Uttarakhand, Har Ki Pauri is visited by people from across the country throughout the year, especially on auspicious occasions, to take a holy dip in the Ganga.
Taking a jibe at Adityanath for his remark, Uttarakhand Congress unit president Kishore Upadhyay said that entry of people posing danger to communal peace in Uttarakhand should be banned from entering Haridwar.
“We will confirm whether or not the BJP MP said so. If it is true, then steps will be taken to ban the entry of such people into Haridwar,” Upadhyay said.
Last year, Adityanath had threatened to go ahead with proposed reconversions, or ghar wapsi, in Uttar Pradesh, triggering a controversy , with political parties seeking his dismissal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi issuing a statement on the issue.