At a public gathering in Bhopal’s Huzur constituency on Tuesday, BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma declared that Muslim boys should not attend Garba events alone but must bring sisters and daughters, insisting that if they want to join permanently they should chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and apply a tilak—his words, delivered with a smirk, were met with cheers, yet immediately drew fire from the city’s opposition.
Congress MLA Arif Masood called Sharma’s statement "extremely vile and cheap," warning that the public would set the MLA straight if he did not retract his remarks.
AIMIM Madhya Pradesh president Mohsin Ali Khan demanded that Sharma read the Constitution and urged him to consult with BJP’s Muslim leaders such as Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Shahnawaz Hussain, labeling the comments as divisive.
Sharma also warned against turning Garba into a spectacle or engaging in "Love Jihad," asserting that the youth must protect their sisters and eliminate "demons" while seeking blessings of Goddess Jagdamba.
The BJP has yet to issue a formal response, and the controversy has become a point on the party’s upcoming policy review meeting next week.