Akhara Parishad has demanded that food shops should not be allotted to non-Hindus in the Maha Kumbh Mela. In fact, the sages and saints say that no item belonging to the ‘gang adopting the policy of spitting’ should be sold in the Kumbh. Some political parties have also stood up against this demand of Akhara Parishad, due to which the controversy has increased. The fair administration has clarified that shops in the fair will be allotted through tender process only. Let us tell you that in the Kumbh and Maha Kumbh Melas held in Prayagraj, shops have always been allotted through tender process in which there is no restriction on allotting shops to any particular category. However, after several videos of adulteration of food items went viral recently, the Akhara Parishad is opposing allotment of food shops to non-Sanatanis.
On the issue of shops, Kumbh Mela Officer Vijay Kiran Anand has said that the shops which are allotted are done through tender process. Shops will be allotted as per the tender process only. This is a big fair where people will come from all over the world… We will allot shops through this process. At the same time, Akhara Parishad President Mahant Ravindra Puri has said that our protest is not against any particular class. He said that after the recent video of food being served mixed with spit, urine etc., our demand is that juice shops, catering shops, dhabas etc. should not be given to non-Sanatanis. He said, “Sadhus, saints and ascetics from all over the country come to this fair and non-conservative people can corrupt their religion by mixing dirt in the food items. Therefore, our demand is that food shops should be allotted only to Sanatanis.”
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Meanwhile, the Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti, citing concern about the “safety” of the Hindu community and the “sanctity” of the upcoming Kumbh Mela, has announced that gangs adopting the policy of spitting in the Mela in any way will be banned. No item should be sold. All India Sant Samiti general secretary Jitendranand Saraswati said, “Under no circumstances will we compromise on this issue.” Referring to the recent demand by some secular leaders to allow Muslim vendors to set up shops during the Kumbh, he said, ”Kumbh is the largest and oldest system of cleanliness in the world. During the Kumbh, the Kalpavasi bathe both the times in the terrible cold, in such a situation, how can we trust the gang that adopts the policy of spitting? Jitendra Anand said that our holy festival Kumbh, which comes in 12 years, will ensure livelihood and food. We cannot play with the security of Hindus in the name of protection. He said, “The committee believes that leave aside the Kumbh enclosure, no new person should be allowed to set up shop and sell goods within a radius of 50 kilometers of the Kumbh.” He also said that we will not allow any They will also not accept any ‘Halala certified’ Hindu or Muslim businessman. The committee has urged the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure the arrangements of Kumbh as per Vedic traditions. He said, “We want arrangements in the Kumbh Mela as per Vedic traditions. No item belonging to a gang that follows the policy of spitting should be sold in the fair. This is a question of safety of Hindu society and sanctity of the fair. We cannot compromise on this.”
