Aditya Gadhvi Distances Himself From VHP Call to Bar Non-Hindus at Ahmedabad Garba Event

Popular Gujarati folk singer Aditya Gadhvi publicly distanced himself from an onstage announcement asking non-Hindus and Muslims to leave his ‘Rang Morla’ garba performance in Ahmedabad, stating the message did not come from him or his team.

The Onstage Announcement at Savvana Party Plot

During the ongoing Navratri festival on Wednesday, anchor and radio jockey Akash Trivedi took the stage at the Savvana Party Plot on Shela Road during Gadhvi’s performance, according to deccanherald.com. A viral video of the incident captured Trivedi addressing the crowd. A humble request to any ‘vidharmi’ (non-Hindus) and Muslims to leave the ground. The Vishva Hindu Parishad has come here to protect Sanatan Dharma, Trivedi told the audience from the stage. The anchor also announced a helpline number—8735873595—instructing participants to report suspicious individuals.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad defended the announcement as part of standard practices during the festive season. Gujarat VHP spokesperson Hitendrasinh Rajput stated that Bajrang Dal volunteers routinely visit garba venues in Ahmedabad to request organizers prevent non-Hindus from entering. Rajput explained that volunteers visited the ‘Rang Morla’ event on Wednesday to make the request, which subsequently led to the announcement from the stage.

Gadhvi Denies Involvement in Event Incident

Following widespread criticism on social media, Gadhvi released an official statement via Instagram to clarify his position. What happened at the event was not my doing, and it was not my message. A group of people took over the backstage and used my platform to do something I would never do. My team and the anchor were not consulted and we were not involved in any capacity, Gadhvi said. The singer emphasized that Navratri remains a sacred period and that garba traditions in Gujarat have historically welcomed participants across faiths. Anyone who comes to a garba with love and respect for Maa (Durga) is welcome in my circle. That is not politics. That is just how I was raised, he added. Trivedi later accepted Gadhvi's collaborative Instagram post, indicating alignment with the singer's clarification.