'Not our culture': Right-wing group disrupts beauty pageant in Uttarakhand, contestants hit back

A viral video of the incident shows one of the activists in a heated exchange with participants. (Image credit: @KumaonJagran/X)

A beauty pageant rehearsal in Rishikesh was disrupted on Friday by activists from the Rashtriya Hindu Shakti Sangathan, who claimed the event was “against Uttarakhand’s culture,” Indian Express reported. The Miss Rishikesh pageant, organised by Lions Club Royal as part of Diwali celebrations, faced objections over the attire worn by participants.

According to the organisers, three men entered the venue around 2 pm and demanded that the rehearsal be shut down. They objected to the clothes worn by the contestants, saying they were “against the sanskriti (culture) of Uttarakhand.”

The organisers said the event had parental consent and had not faced any objections previously, The Indian Express reported.

Participants push back, video goes viral

A viral video of the incident shows one of the activists in a heated exchange with participants. When he criticised their clothing, one contestant responded: “Culture cannot be defined through clothes.” Another participant challenged him to stop the sale of alcohol and cigarettes in nearby shops, saying those were more damaging to society.

The activist further alleged that beauty pageants were inspiring girls to run away from homes in Uttarakhand. But coordinators responded that the event was being held with full parental approval. The situation was finally brought under control once the police arrived.

Meanwhile, Dhiraj Makhija, the director of Lions Club Royal, which has been hosting the pageant for five years, said they have never faced such an objection before. “We have been conducting the show as part of the Lions Diwali Mela and have never faced such objections before. We are providing a platform for local women so they can compete in larger beauty pageants. The top five contestants go on to participate in the Miss Uttarakhand pageant,” he told The Indian Express.

Talibanism at its peak

Hindutva groups created ruckus, objecting to Western attire, and demanded Miss Rishikesh auditions be stopped.

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Kudos to the girls for responding in same language.pic.twitter.com/Y2G8Vs6RnF

— Avishek Goyal (@AG_knocks) October 4, 2025

Social media backlash

The incident drew sharp criticism online, with users accusing the activists of moral policing and cultural hypocrisy.

“If you were protesting wearing dhoti, kurta, and wooden slippers, it would be understandable that you were protecting our culture. Pants and shirts are not our culture, nor are sports shoes,” commented Anil Gupta (@AnilGup037).

“When that man says ‘this is not our culture,’ it’s pure moral policing. Remember Iran and Afghanistan. Girls there once studied, played sports, dressed freely… until extremists decided otherwise,” wrote Anas Kazi (@itsAnasKazi).

“When groups start policing attire and demanding people conform, it’s clear how far things have gone. Talibanism at its peak, where freedom is silenced. Kudos to the girls for giving it back in the same language,” said Vinod Pal (@Vinodpaul0).

“Who is this self-declared policeman. Who has given him such authority to interfere in the routine lives of others? Seems, he has no other business to do,” added Sushil Sharma (@sksnco).