Hoardings prohibiting the entry of non-Hindus were put up on Friday at Har-ki-Pauri ghat in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar, triggering a political controversy and criticism from opposition parties.

The banners were installed by the Ganga Sabha, which manages the ghat, according to local media reports. Har-ki-Pauri is among the most prominent religious sites on the Ganga and attracts large numbers of pilgrims.

Nandan Kumar, town commissioner of the Haridwar Municipal Corporation, said the authorities were aware of the hoardings but no action had yet been taken. He said a decision would follow instructions from the state government.

Ganga Sabha chief Nitin Gautam said the move was based on a municipal bylaw dating back to 1916 that restricted the entry, residence and commercial activities of non-Hindus in the Har-ki-Pauri area. He said the measure was aimed at preserving the sanctity of the site amid growing visitor numbers, and called for similar restrictions at other ghats in Haridwar.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the state government was consulting stakeholders, including religious bodies and saints, and reviewing existing laws related to pilgrimage sites before taking a decision.

Opposition parties criticised the move as unconstitutional. Samajwadi Party leader S.T. Hasan said India belonged to all its citizens and that such restrictions violated the spirit of the Constitution. Congress leaders also questioned the feasibility of a blanket ban in a multi-religious society and accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of politicising the issue.

Uttarakhand BJP chief Mahendra Bhatt defended the move, saying religious traditions and “sanatan” sentiments should be respected, and accused the opposition of practising appeasement politics.