‘Ye sanskriti nahi hai’: Right-wing group objects to women’s attire at Miss Rishikesh pageant; video goes viral

A video showing women arguing with a man went viral recently. It was claimed that the man, reportedly part of a right-wing group, disrupted Miss Rishikesh pageant rehearsals while objecting to the attire of the participants. The participants revolted, leading to a ruckus. The incident reportedly happened on Friday.

According to The Indian Express, the man is an activist of the Rashtriya Hindu Shakti Sangathan. In the viral video, he could be seen entering the venue and objecting to the event, saying it was “against the culture of Uttarakhand."

Dhiraj Makhija, the director of Lions Club Royal, which has been hosting the pageant for the last five years, was quoted as saying that three members of the group entered the venue around 2 pm when contestants and choreographers were rehearsing for the event.

“One of the group members, Raghav Bhatnagar, began objecting to the clothes worn by the participants,” Makhija reportedly said.

What was in the viral video?

The purported video showed Raghav Bhatnagar, a member of the Rashtriya Hindu Shakti Sangathan, objecting to the clothes of the participants and saying that "ye hamari sanskriti nahi hai [they are against the culture of Uttarakhand."

The participants could be seen confronting Bhatnagar.

The man is heard saying he would not allow the event to take place. He asked the participants to “hold it at your homes.”

One contestant even said, “Close the shop where cigarettes and alcohol are sold, close the shop where ‘such clothes’ are sold...You cannot record our video without our consent. So sorry sir, we cannot follow you. You are no one to tell me this. Who are you?”

Then one of the show coordinators is heard saying that the programme is being conducted with the consent of the contestants’ parents.

Despite the revolt, Bhatnagar is seen opposing the event, saying “This cannot go on in the city of pilgrimages”.

When approached for a comment, he refused to speak “to those who do not know the culture of Uttarakhand”.

Later, Bhatnagar told reporters that a ramp walk in western clothing was against Rishikesh’s identity and Sanatan values.

“Sanatan Dharma teaches women to dress modestly. Such events hurt social and religious sentiments,” as reported by India Today.

What did police say?

Police said they did not receive any complaint about the rehearsal incident. They added that the “dispute” was resolved between the two parties.

The show goes on

Dhiraj Makhija told The Indian Express, "We have been conducting the show as part of the Lions Diwali Mela and have never faced such objections before. We are providing a platform for local women so they can compete in larger beauty pageants. The top five contestants go on to participate in the Miss Uttarakhand pageant."

The Miss Rishikesh pageant was held as scheduled on Saturday, the report added.