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ISLAMABAD: A controversial proposal by India&rsquo;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.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;&ldquo;The BKTC unanimously approved a proposal on March 10 to ban the entry of non-Sanatanis into the temples,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;&ldquo;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,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;Badrinath Dham is set to open on April 23, while Kedarnath Dham will open on April 22.&nbsp;Critics say the proposal formalizes religious discrimination by conditioning access to places of worship on ideological conformity rather than personal devotion.&nbsp;The requirement to sign a declaration of faith is being viewed as an unprecedented step that institutionalizes exclusion under the guise of religious protection.&nbsp;This is not an isolated case.&nbsp;In October 2024, a similar requirement was imposed at the Tirupati temple, where Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan&rsquo;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.&nbsp;Observers argue that such measures reflect a broader pattern of increasing restrictions on religious minorities across India.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;&ldquo;Over the past couple of months, violent attacks by Hindu nationalist mobs targeting Christians have escalated,&rdquo; the report stated.&nbsp;It also highlighted incidents in Chhattisgarh, where a Hindu mob allegedly set fire to multiple Muslim homes following accusations of temple desecration.

India

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

Articles tagged with "Sara Ali Khan"

Affidavits for faith: India’s temple entry rules spark outrage

Affidavits for faith: India’s temple entry rules spark outrage