'Absolute Joke Of Priority System': Smoking On Ganga Ghats At 1 AM Sparks Outrage Amid Kedarnath 'Mismanagement' Chaos

A late-night video from Rishikesh has triggered fresh outrage online, adding to the growing criticism around alleged mismanagement during the ongoing Kedarnath Yatra in Uttarakhand. What started as a conversation about crowd control has now snowballed into a larger debate on priorities and ground-level enforcement.

Viral video shows smoking near ganga

The controversy erupted after X (formerly Twitter) user Divya Gandotra shared visuals showing people openly smoking near the banks of the Ganga at around 1 AM. Alongside the video, she called out authorities, writing, “Absolute joke of a priority system by @uttarakhandcops. 🤡 While they are busy sending notices to 30+ handles to suppress ‘mismanagement’ reports at Kedarnath…. this is the scene at Rishikesh.”

She further added, “People are openly smoking on the holy Ganga Ghats at 1 AM, and the police are nowhere to be found until a citizen practically begs for intervention. Is ‘Operation Maryada’ only for social media censorship now? Instead of targeting those exposing the chaos, maybe try targeting the people actually violating the sanctity of our shrines. The focus shouldn't be on cleaning up your Twitter feed, it should be on cleaning up the Ghats. 🚩⛰️”

Check out the video below:

The user also shared a notice she claimed to have received after posting about the alleged mismanagement, intensifying the debate around accountability and freedom of expression.

For context, concerns have been mounting around the Kedarnath Yatra, with several pilgrims highlighting overcrowding, long waiting hours, and lack of basic facilities at the temple site. Some even advised others to delay their yatra plans due to the surge in visitors.

Netizens react

Online reactions were swift and divided. One user wrote, “There should be no liquor/ tobacco product shop's in and around any holy places in the radius of 01 km throughout India. @uttarakhandcops please make sure tourist/ visitor's feel safe while reporting crime/ violations.” 

Another commented, “Shame on the people and shame on the authorities.” A third added, “This has nothing to do with being Hindu or not; it’s purely about basic civic sense and responsibility…”