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- Anti-'love jihad' posters appeared in Rajkot on the first day of Navratri
- Posters were seen near the Race Course and around garba venues
- A Hindu organisation is behind the posters, says its leader Mangesh Desai
- Desai said the aim is to raise awareness and urge people to be careful
- No arrest or official response to the posters has been reported so far
Posters warning people to “beware of love jihad” went up in Rajkot on the first day of Navratri. They were displayed near the Race Course and around garba venues in the city.
Posters at garba venues and the Race Course
The posters carry the line “लव जेहादथी सावधान” in Hindi, which means “beware of love jihad”. The same message is also given in Gujarati as “લવ જેહાદથી સાવધાન”.
The posters were put up at garba events and in several areas, including the Race Course. They have sparked discussion and controversy in the city.
Organisation’s stated aim
A Hindu organisation is behind the posters. Its leader, Mangesh Desai, said the aim is to raise awareness among people. He said the organisation wants to give people a message to be careful.
Earlier call on garba entry
The issue has been raised before. In a separate event in 2025, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) said only Hindus should be allowed entry to garba events. It advised organisers to check the Aadhaar cards of entrants to avoid instances of “love jihad”.
No response so far
So far, there has been no arrest or official response to the Rajkot posters.
