Ahmedabad: A Navratri garba celebration in Surat faced disruption when members of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad reportedly stormed the venue and objected to the participation of three Muslim drummers from a Mumbai-based band. The incident forced organisers to halt the Swarna Navratri event for about an hour before it resumed.
According to local accounts, the protestors insisted that Muslim musicians should not be part of the cultural programme. The drummers were initially prevented from playing despite being booked for the performance. This is the second consecutive year that the Swarna Navratri event has faced targeting from right-wing groups over the presence of Muslim artists.
The confrontation ended only after the organisers apologised to the protestors. They reportedly assured them that Muslim musicians would not be hired for the festival next year. Following this assurance, the drummers were allowed to continue their performance.
The incident reflects increasing tensions around participation of religious minorities in public cultural spaces. While garba is celebrated across communities in Gujarat, repeated targeting of Muslim performers raises questions about inclusivity and freedom of artistic expression. Local observers say such disruptions undermine the plural traditions that have long shaped cultural festivities in the region.
This episode has drawn concern over growing interference by political and religious groups in community events, and the pressure it places on organisers to comply with exclusionary demands.
