Fourteen Arrested in Varanasi for Controversial Iftar Party on Ganga

Incident Overview

In Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, fourteen individuals were detained for allegedly offending Hindu religious sentiments by hosting an iftar gathering on a boat in the Ganga River, where they consumed chicken biryani.

The arrests followed the circulation of a video on social media that depicted the event, which took place on a Monday.

A complaint was lodged by Rajat Jaiswal, the local leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party's youth wing, who claimed that the gathering was disrespectful to Hindu beliefs.

Jaiswal's complaint included accusations that the participants had discarded meat remnants into the Ganga, a river of great religious importance to Hindus.

The individuals were charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which address offenses such as defiling a place of worship and intentionally provoking religious sentiments.

Additionally, they faced charges related to public nuisance and providing false evidence, as reported by local media.

The police also referenced the Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act in their actions.

All the 14 Muslim men seen on boat Iftar in Varanasi have been arrested. The FIR was registered based on the complaint of Bhartiya Janata Yuva morcha office bearer who accused the arrested men of hurting the religious sentiments. https://t.co/1Z6KnUgu59 pic.twitter.com/HNk2ng9ohN

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) March 17, 2026