BJP, RSS push Hindutva agenda in IIOJK: Large-scale Kumbh Mela planned in Bandipora
Srinagar: The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Indian government and its ideological affiliate, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), are reportedly supporting a Hindutva plan to hold a large-scale “Kumbh Mela” (Hindu religious gathering) in Bandipora district of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
According to Kashmir Media Service, the move is part of a broader effort to reshape the cultural and religious landscape of the territory.
The nine-day Hindu gathering is scheduled to be held at Shadipora in Bandipora from July 15 to July 24, 2026, with organizers claiming that over two to three lakh people are expected to participate. The event has been announced by Hindu religious leader Swami Kalikananda Saraswati, who said that the festival would feature daily religious rituals along with cultural programs highlighting Kashmiri folk and classical Hindu music.
Speaking to media persons in Srinagar, Swami Kalikananda also claimed that a one-day Kumbh Mela was held in Kashmir in 2016 in which an estimated 35,000 persons participated. He further said that during the Kumbh Mela, an all-religion conference will also be organised where people from all faiths can participate. Reports suggest the Indian military establishment is also facilitating the event.
Observers point out the stark contrast in the treatment of religious events in IIOJK. While the New Delhi-appointed administration often imposes restrictions on Muslim religious gatherings, including Juma and Eid prayers in historical Jamia Masjid and Eidgah in Srinagar it continues to provide extensive facilities for Hindu events, including the Amarnath Yatra.
Analysts and political commentators describe the new agenda of the BJP regime in IIOJK as an unprecedented step, noting that such a large-scale Hindu religious congregation has not traditionally been part of Kashmir’s socio-cultural landscape. They say the event reflects a deliberate attempt by the BJP and RSS to promote Hindutva ideology in the Muslim majority territory.
Critics link the move directly to the revocation of Article 370 and 35 A in August 2019, which stripped IIOJK of its special status. They contend that the abrogation was not merely a constitutional change but part of a wider strategy to alter the demographic and cultural identity of IIOJK.
The proposed Kumbh Mela is also being viewed in the context of increasing efforts on the part of the BJP-led Indian government to introduce and institutionalize Hindu religious and cultural practices in the territory.
Observers warn that such initiatives could further deepen tensions, marginalize the indigenous population and undermine Kashmir’s historically distinct cultural heritage and traditions.
