"Entry prohibited - non-Hindus", "this is not a request, but a warning", reads one of the posters that has come up along the banks of Ganga in Varanasi.
According to the Varanasi police, the posters, allegedly put on display by right-wing Hindu outfits, including the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) Bajrang Dal, are being removed, and a probe has been launched in the matter, PTI reported.
Speaking to PTI, Bajrang Dal's Kashi Mahanagar coordinator Nikhil Tripathi stated:
"Non-Hindus violate the purity of the ghats. That is why this warning has been issued to them."
One of the posters stuck on the ghats of Ganga reads, "The ghats and temples along Maa Ganga in Kashi are symbols of the Sanatan Dharma, Indian culture, faith and belief. Those who have faith and belief in Sanatan Dharma are welcome. Otherwise, this is not a picnic spot", reported PTI.
Videos and photos of the area and such posters have also emerged on social media since.
What the Police Have Said
Speaking to PTI, a police official stated that the local Bhelupur police station is investigating the matter, and people captured in visuals online are being identified.
"So far, no written complaint has been made with the police. However, the police took note of the episode after some local groups highlighted it. The posters are being removed with their help," PTI quoted the police official as saying.
(With inputs from PTI.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)