Saraswati Puja celebration desecrated; obscene dance performed inside puja pandal in Surat, Gujarat
Surat, Gujarat, India 
22 January, 2026
Case Summary
A Saraswati Puja celebration was desecrated in Surat, Gujarat, after women were made to dance to obscene songs inside the sacred puja pandal, a sacred temporary shrine where the celebrations occur. According to media reports, this incident occurred on 23 January 2026 in Anand Park Society in the Katargam Wade Road area. In this, women were made to dance to vulgar Bhojpuri and Hindi film songs on stage. Hindu families, elderly people, and women present at the event were left uncomfortable and embarrassed by this scene. Particular concern was expressed about the large number of young children present. Videos of the obscene dance during the event went viral on social media. The videos sparked widespread discussion about the event throughout the area. Locals said that such an event, held on a sacred occasion like Saraswati Puja, offended the religious sentiments of Hindus. Some concerned citizens of the Hindu community protested the event, accusing the organisers of promoting obscenity under the guise of a religious event. They said that in the name of devotion, limits were crossed on a public platform, which sent a negative message to society. After the video went viral, questions arose in Surat city about whether religious events were becoming mere entertainment and vulgarity. People demanded strict action against the organisers who violated public decorum in this manner. The locals kept their eyes on the police and administration. There was also debate about whether this matter would be prosecuted or ignored. The public wanted an example to be set against those who spread vulgarity in the name of religious events. Meanwhile, Saraswati Puja organiser Ashish Kushwaha denied that obscene Bhojpuri or film songs were played on stage. Speaking to the media, he claimed that the event was purely devotional and that only devotional songs were played. According to him, no song was played that could hurt people's sentiments. Ashish Kushwaha also said that if anyone felt that this should not have happened during the puja, then he would apologise for it, and caution would be taken in the future.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category selected in this case is- Attack on Hindu religious representations. The subcategory selected is- Defiling religious customs. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. There are several such customs and traditions that are followed by various Hindus and Hindu sects. Defiling of these traditions and customs is a breach of an individual or group’s religious practices. Such practices can range from dietary restrictions like not eating non-vegetarian food for a certain period of the year, not eating non-vegetarian food at all, not eating beef since the cow is considered holy in Hinduism, the sanctity of religious customs followed in the house (like many ISCKON devotees), etc. Any malicious action leading to the breach of such traditions or defilement of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the religion itself but also from disregard for the faith of the devotees who follow the customs/traditions and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific sect of Hindus, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. This case constituted a clear instance of a religiously motivated offence, as vulgar dance performances took place inside the sacred pandal during Saraswati Puja to desecrate the sanctity of the festival. Saraswati Puja holds profound religious significance in Hinduism as a vibrant festival dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge, wisdom, music, arts, and learning. Devotees established temporary pandals as sacred shrines, invoking her presence through rituals, prayers, and offerings to seek blessings for intellectual growth and creative pursuits. The pandal served as a sanctified space embodying purity, reverence, and religious devotion, where families, including children, gathered to honour this auspicious occasion. Performing vulgar dances to obscene Bhojpuri and Hindi film songs inside the Saraswati Puja pandal constituted a grave desecration of this sacred festival. Such acts directly defiled the pandal's sanctity by introducing profanity and impurity into a space meant for spiritual elevation, undermining the festival's core purpose of veneration. Organisers permitting or staging these performances demonstrated blatant disregard for Hindu traditions, effectively tarnishing the honour of Goddess Saraswati and the devotees' solemn rituals. This incident exemplified a religiously motivated hate crime through deliberate religious undermining and animosity. By infiltrating a sacred Hindu celebration with lewd entertainment, the organisers and performers intentionally provoked outrage, assaulted religious sentiments, and humiliated participants, particularly families with young children present. The calculated violation of purity norms in a revered pandal revealed intent to demean Hinduism's foundational values, aligning with patterns of targeted desecration against Hindu sacred spaces. Given that this case meets the parameters of a religiously motivated offence, it is being added to the hate crime database of the tracker. Disclaimer: In this case, since exact details on the number of dance performers remain unspecified and reports identify only the organiser, Ashish Kushwaha, he is designated as the perpetrator. Simultaneously, for documentation purposes, the perpetrator count is selected as '1'.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
