Badrinath-Kedarnath may ban non-Hindus from entering temples. Not everyone’s on board

However, the office-bearer, who did not wish to be named, said that the matter has not come up so far, and the statement was made without consultation with the Board or stakeholders. “This is a matter we need to discuss with stakeholders, including the traders and labourers. Most of these groups are non-Hindus; how can we ask them to leave? Currently, only those who adhere to the practices of the religion enter the temple. Besides, those who accompany government officers and dignitaries are also non-Hindus,” said the member.

He added that Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists will not be excluded. “He should have said that non-Sanatanis are to be excluded,” he added.

The Temple Committee is an undertaking of the government with 17 members, established under the 1948 Act of Uttar Pradesh. The administration of both Kedarnath and Badrinath temples is governed by the committee, which includes public representatives, a chairman, members, and government officials. The chairman and vice chairman are nominated by the state government.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Shri Gangotri Dham Temple Committee, Dharmanand Semwal, said the board will deliberate on a similar proposal. “We also demand that those who hurt our religion should not be given entry. The CM has also said that it will be discussed because this is a general sentiment that residents have raised,” he said. Asked about the entry of people, including the Governor, Gurmeet Singh, who belongs to the Sikh religion, he said, “Sikhs have come from Hinduism and worship our lords… No resolution has been passed in the committee yet. If passed, it will be forwarded to the administration, and if they approve, it will be implemented,” Semwal said, adding that this is a nascent demand currently. “We will discuss who is a non-Hindu,” he said.

The four Dhams are visited by many people, including international tourists from across the world, who come for trekking. The four pilgrimage sites recorded footfall of 51 lakh in 2025, of which Badrinath Dham reported 16.6 lakh visitors. Kedarnath remained the temple with the highest footfall with 17.68 lakh pilgrims.

Former chief minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat said that the BJP is resorting to communal polarisation. “It has nothing to do with Hindu pilgrimage. In Har Ki Pauri, municipal bylaws have restricted the entry of non-Hindus, and people have been following this since then. There is a general sentiment that those from other religions keep away from these places. Those who would earlier gatekeep their religious places have started opening them to all, while Hinduism, which is known for being open to all, is closing its doors,” he said.

Rawat asked, “If the head of the state is a non-Hindu, will you decide that those areas will be out of bounds and out of their jurisdiction?”

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana said that this is an agenda to divert people’s attention from real issues. “They have propped up hoardings at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar. International tourists visit these places. How will you bar these people? Anyone can enter any public space under the Constitution. These are gimmicks for distracting people,” he said.

Aiswarya Raj is a Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, one of India's most respected media houses, specialising in in-depth coverage of Uttarakhand and the Himalayan region. Her work focuses on delivering essential, ground-up reporting across complex regional issues. Aiswarya brings significant journalistic experience to her role, having started her career at The Indian Express as a Sub-Editor with the Delhi city team. She subsequently developed her reporting expertise by covering Gurugram and its neighboring districts before transitioning to her current focus. She is an accomplished alumna of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ) and the University of Kerala. Her reporting is characterized by a commitment to narrative journalism, prioritising the human element and verified facts behind critical events. Aiswarya’s beats demonstrate deep expertise in state politics, law enforcement investigations (e.g., paper leak cases, international cyber scams), human-wildlife conflict, environmental disasters, and socio-economic matters affecting local communities. This specific, sustained focus on critical regional news provides the necessary foundation for high trustworthiness and authoritativeness on topics concerning Uttarakhand. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd