People should drink 'gaumutra' before entering Garba pandals, says BJP leader

BJP district president of Indore said that if someone is Hindu, they won't object to drinking cow urine. He suggested that Navratri organisers should make people drink cow urine before entering Garba pandals

In Short

• Verma says this will ensure only 'Hindus' enter the Garba pandals
• He claims Hindus won't object to drinking cow urine
• Congress says BJP leaders should pictures of them drinking cow urine

BJP district president of Indore, Chintu Verma, urged organisers of the Navratri festival to make people drink "gaumutra" (cow urine) before letting them inside Garba pandals.

The BJP leader told reporters on Monday that if someone is Hindu, they won't object to drinking cow urine.

"We have requested organisers to ensure devotees do aachaman with cow urine before allowing them to enter garba pandals," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

On being asked about the rationale behind this statement, Verma said that sometimes certain people join these events, which generates "certain discussions", PTI reported.

"Aadhaar card can be edited. However, if a person is a Hindu, he will enter the Garba pandal only after aachaman of cow urine and there is no question of refusing it," he added.

Meanwhile, the Congress questioned Verma's call, terming it a new tactic of polarisation by the party.

MP Congress spokesman Neelabh Shukla alleged that BJP leaders are silent on the plight of cow shelters and are only interested in politicising this issue, PTI reported.

"Raising the cow urine aachman demand is the BJP's new trick of playing polarisation politics,'' he said, urging the BJP leaders to sip cow urine before entering pandals and post videos on social media.