Muslims ‘can cover themselves with tarpaulin hijabs’ on Holi, says Uttar Pradesh minister
CM Adityanath had earlier defended similar remarks by a Sambhal police officer, saying that congregational Friday prayers were not mandatory for Muslims.
Uttar Pradesh minister Raghuraj Singh on Monday said that Muslim men can cover themselves with a “tarpaulin hijab” if they do not want to accept Holi colours, ANI reported.
“For the followers of Sanatan Dharma, the festival of Holi comes just once in a year and to expect them to not to play Holi at some restricted areas near mosques is not a feasible solution,” ANI quoted him Singh as saying.
Sanatana Dharma is a term some people use as a synonym for Hinduism.
The Hindu festival of Holi is on March 14 this year and will coincide with the congregational Friday prayers during the Islamic holy month of Ramzan.
“To those people who have an objection, [I suggest that] the way they cover the mosques using tarpaulin, they can make a hijab of tarpaulin for themselves, by which their caps won’t get wet,” the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said. “…they will not face any inconvenience, and will be able to offer namaz easily.”
#WATCH | Aligarh: UP Minister Dr Raghuraj Singh says, " They can offer Namaz, we have no issues but they can't say things like colour shouldn't fall within the distance of 20 m or 25 m from them because 'Pichkari' has no measurement...it is festival of our God...those who have… pic.twitter.com/pMgATt1a14
— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2025
Similar remarks have been made by other persons in positions of power in recent days.
On March 6, Sambhal Circle Officer Anuj Kumar Chaudhary said that Muslims should stay at home if they do not want Holi colours to be thrown at them. “And if they want to go out of their house, then they should be big-hearted enough not to object if colour falls on them,” the police officer added.
The remark was criticised by Opposition leaders who said that police officials should not act as agents of the ruling BJP.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath had defended the police officer’s remarks, saying that congregational Friday prayers were not mandatory for Muslims.
“If someone wants to offer namaz [on that day], they can do it at home,” Adityanath said. “It is not necessary for them to go to a mosque. If they want to go, they should not object to colours.”
Several mosques in the state have adjusted prayer timings on Friday to avoid confrontation, The Times of India reported.
On Monday, Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul, a BJP MLA in Bihar, had also asked Muslims to stay indoors during Holi if they object to colours being thrown at them.
“There are 52 Fridays, they [Muslims] can avoid coming out on Holi,” the legislator from Madhubani district’s Bisfi constituency said.
