A police case has been filed against Instagram influencer Archana Makwana for allegedly offending Sikh religious sentiments by performing yoga near the Sarovar at the Golden Temple.
The incident occurred on June 21, International Yoga Day, when Makwana performed meditation and a headstand (Shirshasana) on the ‘parikrama (circumambulation)’ path and shared the images on social media.
According to Hindustan Times, the police action followed a complaint from Golden Temple general manager Bhagwant Singh Dhangera on behalf of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
The FIR was lodged under Section 295-A (Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the E-division police station.
The incident also led to the suspension of two SGPC employees for alleged negligence. Another staff member was fined Rs 5,000 and transferred to Gurdwara Garhi Sahib, Gurdas Nangal, as reported by Hindustan Times.
“No one can act against Sikh conduct at the Golden Temple, but some people deliberately ignore the sanctity and historical importance of this holy place and commit objectionable acts,” Dhangera said, as quoted by The Hindu. The act, he added, had hurt Sikh sentiments and ‘maryada (tradition)’, prompting the police complaint.
India Today reported that Makwana has since removed the content from her social media and apologised via Instagram stories, saying she never intended to offend anyone’s religious sentiments.
“I was unaware that practising yoga in the Gurdwara Sahib premises could be offensive. I was just paying my respects and meant no harm,” she wrote. “I sincerely apologise for any hurt I may have caused and promise to be more mindful in the future.”
On account of alleged online death threats received by her, Makwana, who is from Gujarat, was placed under police protection on Sunday. Gujarat Police provided her with security and reportedly advised her to remain at home for the next few days.
Who is Archana Makwana?
Archana Makwana is a Vadodara-based Instagram influencer and entrepreneur, who founded the fashion brand ‘House of Archana’. She is known for her involvement with ‘Healing Tattvas’, which is a brand related to spiritual healing and shares her travel experiences as a blogger.
She has close to 140k followers on Instagram and identifies herself as a fashion designer, entrepreneur, influencer, as well as a travel and fashion blogger.
Her commitment to promoting yoga and wellness was acknowledged with an award on International Yoga Day in recognition of her contributions to the field.