Declare Kumbh Mela area restricted zone for non-Hindus before 2027 Ardh Kumbh: Shri Ganga Sabha

Shri Ganga Sabha, the organisation that manages and maintains Har Ki Pauri and the surrounding Ganga ghats in Haridwar, on Sunday (January 4, 2026) demanded that the Uttarakhand government declare the Kumbh Mela area a restricted zone for non-Hindus before the Ardh Kumbh in 2027.

Speaking to reporters here, Shri Ganga Sabha president Nitin Gautam said, “It is the need of the hour that before the upcoming Kumbh, the entry of non-Hindus should be banned at all Ganga ghats and religious places in the Kumbh Mela area.” He praised the government’s announcement of holding a divine and grand Kumbh in Haridwar next year.

He said, “According to the municipal rules, the Haridwar municipal area is declared a non-Hindu and meat-alcohol prohibited zone, and the government should ensure complete compliance with these rules so that the sanctity of the pilgrimage site is maintained.” Mr. Gautam claimed that non-Hindus are residing in Bairagi Camp and other places in Haridwar by concealing their identity. He said that the government should identify such people and remove them from Haridwar.