Nashik: Maharashtra Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nitesh Rane on Thursday said that non-Hindus should not be allowed to set up stalls at the upcoming Kumbh Mela, nor should they be allowed to enter the premises. The BJP leader said, “From the Hindutva perspective, this is a huge festival for us. During such a festival, no one except members of the Hindu community should be allowed to set up shops."
"For those who consider us 'Kaafir,' why should we buy puja items from them? ... Only Hindu shops should be set up. This is our sentiment, and it's the sentiment of every Hindu community. There's nothing wrong with that. When Eid and other such festivals come, no one ever buys anything from Hindus because they consider us 'Kaafir'," he added.
The Simhastha Kumbh Mela will reportedly begin on 31 October 2026, with flag hoisting at Trimbakeshwar, as well as at Ramkund and Panchavati, and will continue until 24 July 2028.
The Nashik–Trimbakeshwar Simhastha is a Hindu religious mela held every twelve years in Maharashtra's Nashik district. It is one of the four fairs traditionally recognised as Kumbh Melas and is also known as the Nashik–Trimbak Kumbh Mela or the Nashik Kumbh Mela.
The fair involves ritual bathing on the banks of the Godavari River, at the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple (in Trimbak) and the Ram Kund in Nashik.
