Haridwar (Uttarakhand), Dec 22 (PTI) A Christmas event scheduled to be held at a hotel run by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department on the banks of the Ganges in Haridwar has been cancelled following objections
from Hindu outfits, a hotel official said on Monday.
Several activities for children were scheduled for December 24 at Hotel Bhagirathi on the occasion of Christmas but they will not be held now, hotel owner Neeraj Gupta said.
After information about the Christmas event at the hotel spread on social media, Hindu organisations began protesting against it. Ujjwal Pandit, an office-bearer of the Shri Ganga Sabha, in a post on social media, warned that Christmas celebration on the banks of the Ganges would not be tolerated and asked the organisers to cancel it immediately.
Pandit, secretary of the Ganga Sevak Dal of the Ganga Sabha, said, "Events related to foreign culture will not be tolerated on the banks of the Ganges. This event is an insult to the religious sanctity of Haridwar and the dignity of the Ganges. Christmas has nothing to do with our Hindu religion."
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) also opposed the Christmas celebration on the banks of the Ganges.
RSS' Shetriya Prachar Pramukh Padamji told PTI that whether it is the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department or any other organisation, everyone should respect the religious beliefs, traditions and dignity of Haridwar.
He said, "Haridwar is the city of the Ganges, the land of gods, and here beliefs and traditions in accordance with Hindu culture have been followed for centuries, and no one has the right to disrupt them."
However, when contacted, the management of Hotel Bhagirathi said that no event was planned on Christmas that would have gone against the dignity of Haridwar, Hindu culture and its traditions.
Hotel owner Neeraj Gupta said, “We were not organising any such Christmas-related event at the hotel. A Christmas tree was indeed decorated at the hotel reception, but the plan was to organise games for the children on this occasion.”
He said that in addition, a grand Ganga Aarti was to be performed on the banks of the Ganges, and keeping in mind the religious significance, sanctity, and purity of the Ganges, only pure vegetarian food was to be served.
Gupta said non-vegetarian food and alcohol are prohibited at the hotel.
He said that due to the protests by Hindu organisations, the programmes planned for children at the hotel have now been cancelled, and only the grand Aarti will be held on the banks of the Ganges on this occasion. PTI SPT JTN RT
