A BJP leader from Indore district has stirred controversy by urging Navratri organisers to make attendees perform “aachman” with cow urine (gaumutra) before entering garba pandals. BJP district president Chintu Verma made the suggestion on Monday, citing the practice’s significance in Sanatan culture and its role in religious purification.

“We have requested organisers to ensure devotees do aachman with cow urine before allowing them to enter garba pandals,” Verma said, explaining that, according to Hindu customs, aachman involves sipping a small amount of water while reciting mantras for purification before engaging in religious rituals. Verma argued that a true Hindu would have no objection to this practice.

Verma suggested the measure was a way to ensure authenticity among participants, as, according to him, “Aadhaar cards can be edited.” He stated, “If a person is a Hindu, he will enter the garba pandal only after aachman of cow urine, and there is no question of refusing it.”

The proposal quickly drew criticism from the opposition Congress party. Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson Neelabh Shukla condemned the suggestion, accusing the BJP of using religious sentiments for political gain. “This is the BJP’s new tactic of polarisation,” Shukla said, adding that BJP leaders have remained silent on the condition of cow shelters but are eager to politicise the issue.

Shukla challenged BJP leaders to lead by example, calling on them to perform aachman with gaumutra and share videos of the act on social media.

The controversy comes amidst rising tensions during the Navratri festival, where communal and religious identities often become the subject of political discourse. Critics have expressed concerns that such proposals could further deepen societal divides.

As the debate intensifies, the organisers of garba events have yet to respond to the BJP’s request, leaving the practice of aachman in limbo ahead of the festival.