Thu Mar 13 16:32:11 UTC 2025: ## UP Minister Sparks Outrage with Anti-Holi Sentiment
**Lucknow, March 13, 2025** – Uttar Pradesh Fisheries Minister Sanjay Nishad ignited a firestorm of controversy Thursday after urging those who object to Holi celebrations to leave India. His comments, made at a Holi Milan event in Gorakhpur, sparked immediate condemnation from religious leaders and opposition parties.
Nishad, president of the Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal party, argued that Holi, like Friday prayers, represents unity and that those uncomfortable with the festival’s colors should leave the country.
This statement drew sharp criticism from Maulana Shahabuddin Rizvi, National President of All India Muslim Jamaat, who accused Nishad of fostering societal division and violating his oath of office. Rizvi highlighted the minister’s responsibility to uphold justice for all, regardless of religious beliefs.
Opposition leaders echoed these sentiments, accusing the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP, of escalating a competition to spread hatred. Congress National Secretary Shahnawaz Alam criticized the statement as antithetical to India’s pluralistic society, referencing the historical harmony between Holi and Eid celebrations and the historical significance of Holi in Uttar Pradesh. Alam pointed to the famous Holi song composed by Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, as evidence of the festival’s inclusive history in the region. The controversy follows recent accommodations made in Ayodhya to allow both Friday prayers and Holi celebrations.
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