A Varanasi court has ordered 14 individuals to be held in judicial custody for 14 days in connection with an incident involving an iftar gathering on a boat and disposal of non-vegetarian food into the Ganga River. The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Amit Kumar Yadav, issued the directive for the accused to remain in custody until April 1, with a bail plea hearing set for March 23. The case arose from a viral video showing a group conducting the iftar event on a small boat in the Ganga, consuming non-vegetarian food, and discarding leftovers, including bones, into the river.
The video, which circulated on social media, led to the filing of an FIR by the Kotwali police following a complaint by a BJP youth wing leader. The complaint included charges related to outraging religious sentiments, environmental pollution, and public nuisance. Subsequently, 14 individuals, including the boat operator, were apprehended. Authorities are currently verifying the authenticity of the video and working to identify all participants in the incident. Additionally, monitoring of boat activities on the river has been heightened to prevent similar incidents.
The incident has triggered discussions on preserving the sanctity of the Ganga, especially in Varanasi, a city of great spiritual importance where devotees perform rituals along the river’s ghats. The arrest of the accused has elicited strong political responses, with leaders from various parties expressing their views. BJP MP Dinesh Sharma emphasized the sacred significance of the Ganga in Sanatan Dharma and urged respect for its sanctity. He highlighted the need to uphold the river’s purity, given its revered status as a mother in Indian culture.
