The temple committee that manages the Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines in Uttarakhand said on Tuesday that a proposal to ban the entry of non-Hindus into the sites will not apply to Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, ANI reported.

Hemant Dwiwedi, the chairperson of the Shri Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee, said that under Article 25 of the Constitution, the definition of Hindus includes Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. “Those spreading anarchy and seeking to divide Hindus should first study the Constitution…and then say such things in the public domain,” he said.

Dwiwedi claimed that “anti-social elements” were harming the atmosphere of Uttarakhand through “thook jihad” and “land jihad” – referring to Hindutva conspiracy theories targeting Muslims.

While “thook jihad” refers to a Hindutva disinformation campaign claiming that Muslims spit in food to spread disease, “land jihad” is a conspiracy theory that alleges that Muslims plot to usurp public land by illegally building structures on it.

“Due to this, administrators and priests of temples had been demanding that non-Hindus be barred from these sites,” Dwiwedi was quoted as saying by ANI.

The temple committees of the shrines along the Chardham route in Uttarakhand – Bardinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri – have proposed a ban on the entry of non-Hindus into the sites.

The development came days after the Ganga Sabha, which administers the Har-ki-Pauri ghat in Haridwar, on January 16 installed hoardings and banners prohibiting the entry of non-Hindus at the religious site.

Dwiwedi was quoted by The Hindu as saying on Tuesday: “The Chardham shrines are not tourist spots and those who have no faith in Sanatan Dharma must not enter our sacred places.” Sanatan Dharma is a term some use as a synonym for Hinduism.

In response to the demands, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the priests and members of the temple committees handle the affairs of the Chardham shrines and, therefore, their wishes must be taken into account.

On the other hand, former chief minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat said that the BJP was resorting to communal polarisation, adding that these prohibitions had nothing to do with Hindu pilgrimages.

“Those who would earlier gatekeep their religious places have started opening them to all, while Hinduism, which is known for being open to all, is closing its doors,” Rawat said.