ISLAMABAD: A controversial proposal by India’s Badri-Kedar Temple Committee (BKTC) to require non-Hindus to formally declare their faith before entering key Hindu shrines has drawn criticism for deepening religious exclusion in the country.
BKTC chairman Hemant Dwivedi announced at a press conference on Tuesday that individuals who are not born into the Hindu faith would be required to submit a written affidavit affirming belief in Sanatan Dharma and Hindutva in order to access the Badrinath and Kedarnath temple complexes.
“The BKTC unanimously approved a proposal on March 10 to ban the entry of non-Sanatanis into the temples,” he said.
The move explicitly targets visitors from other faiths, even those expressing reverence for Hindu traditions. Dwivedi cited the example of Indian Muslim-born actor Sara Ali Khan, stating that access would only be granted if she formally renounces ambiguity about her religious identity.
“If Sara Ali Khan affirms that she holds faith and devotion towards Sanatan, and subsequently submits an affidavit to that effect, she will be granted darshan,” he said.
According to Indian media reports, the committee has already standardized a format for the affidavit and forwarded the proposal to the Uttarakhand government for consideration.
The development comes just weeks ahead of the annual Char Dham Yatra, scheduled to begin on April 19, with more than 600,000 devotees already registered.
Badrinath Dham is set to open on April 23, while Kedarnath Dham will open on April 22.
Critics say the proposal formalizes religious discrimination by conditioning access to places of worship on ideological conformity rather than personal devotion.
The requirement to sign a declaration of faith is being viewed as an unprecedented step that institutionalizes exclusion under the guise of religious protection.
This is not an isolated case.
In October 2024, a similar requirement was imposed at the Tirupati temple, where Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s minor daughter, Polena Anjana Pawanova, who has mixed heritage, was required to sign a declaration of faith, co-signed by her father. His other daughter was exempt on the basis that both her parents are Hindus.
Observers argue that such measures reflect a broader pattern of increasing restrictions on religious minorities across India.
Recent reports have documented a rise in targeted violence and discrimination. A February 2026 report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom noted that authorities were urged to hold perpetrators accountable for attacks on minority communities.
“Over the past couple of months, violent attacks by Hindu nationalist mobs targeting Christians have escalated,” the report stated.
It also highlighted incidents in Chhattisgarh, where a Hindu mob allegedly set fire to multiple Muslim homes following accusations of temple desecration.
