Non-Hindus Asked to Leave Ahmedabad Garba Event; Singer Aditya Gadhvi Says ‘Not My Message’

Popular Gujarati folk singer Aditya Gadhvi has distanced himself from a controversial announcement asking non-Hindus and Muslims to leave a garba event in Ahmedabad during the ongoing Navratri festival, saying the message did not reflect his views.
 

A video circulating on social media showed anchor and radio jockey Akash Trivedi asking non-Hindus and Muslims to leave the venue during the ‘Rang Morla ft. Aditya Gadhvi’ programme held on Wednesday at Savvana Party Plot on Shela Road in Ahmedabad. Gadhvi was performing at the event.
 

In the video, Trivedi is heard making an appeal to people he described as “vidharmi” (non-Hindus) and Muslims to leave the venue, claiming that the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) was present to protect Sanatan Dharma.
 

He also announced a helpline number, 87358 73595, for reporting such individuals and urged garba participants to identify and report people they considered suspicious.
 

VHP Defends Announcement at Garba Event
 

Gujarat VHP spokesperson Hitendrasinh Rajput defended the announcement, describing it as part of a routine exercise conducted by Bajrang Dal volunteers at garba events across the state.
 

Speaking to PTI, Rajput said Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the VHP, regularly visits garba venues in Ahmedabad and meets organisers to ask them to prevent non-Hindus from entering.
 

He added that volunteers sometimes apply tilak to the foreheads of men attending the events and remove people considered suspicious from the venue.
 

According to Rajput, Bajrang Dal volunteers visited the ‘Rang Morla’ programme on Wednesday and requested the organisers to restrict the entry of non-Hindus. The announcement was subsequently made from the stage by the event organisers, he said.
 

Aditya Gadhvi Issues Clarification on Instagram
 

Following criticism from social media users, Gadhvi issued a statement on Instagram, making it clear that he was not responsible for the announcement and did not endorse its message.
 

In his statement, the singer said he was proud of his Hindu identity and regarded Navratri as the most sacred time of the year. He described performing garba songs in honour of Maa Ambe before thousands of devotees as a blessing.
 

“What happened at the event was not my doing, and it was not my message,” Gadhvi said.
 

He alleged that a group of people had taken over the backstage area and used his platform to make an announcement he would never support. He added that neither his team nor the anchor had been consulted or involved in the decision.
 

Trivedi, who made the announcement, also accepted Gadhvi’s collaborative Instagram post, apparently indicating agreement with the singer’s clarification.
 

Singer Emphasises Garba’s Inclusive Tradition
 

Gadhvi also highlighted the inclusive nature of garba, saying the traditional devotional dance had never required people to disclose their surnames or backgrounds.
 

He said people from different faiths had participated in garba together for generations in Gujarat and across India, describing this shared tradition as an important part of the cultural celebration.
 

“Anyone who comes to a garba with love and respect for Maa (Durga) is welcome in my circle,” the singer said, adding that his platform was meant for music and devotion rather than politics.
 

He concluded his statement with the words “Jai Ambe”, reaffirming his commitment to devotional music.
 

The controversy has drawn attention to the dispute over entry restrictions at garba events during Navratri, with the VHP defending the volunteers’ actions and the singer publicly distancing himself from the announcement made at the Ahmedabad programme.