Actor Sara Ali Khan's affinity for visiting the Badrinath and Kedarnath temples has sparked a controversy. The Badri-Kedar Temple Committee (BKTC) chairman, Hemant Dwivedi, has announced that non-Hindus who wish to enter the temple complexes must provide a written declaration of being a Sanatani and believing in Hindutva.
The BKTC has already standardised a format for this affidavit, which Sara Ali Khan must submit to gain entry. The proposal has also been sent to the Uttarakhand government ahead of the Char Dham Yatra, which will commence from April 19.
Sara Ali Khan, whose parents are a Sikh and a Muslim, has not responded to the declaration yet. However, she has expressed her personal connection to the temple in the past, calling it a 'humbling feeling' to visit Kedarnath.
This is not the first time a temple has drawn a line in the sand about who can visit. The Puri temple in Odisha permits entry only to Hindus, with strict guidelines for how they should dress.
