‘Beer Party On Ganga in Varanasi’: Boat Bash Goes Viral, Man Arrested After Drinking Video Stirs Controversy | WATCH

Viral: What happens when a casual party meets a sacred river? In Varanasi, it has led to anger among people, arrests, and even political interruption. In Varanasi, a video that quickly spread across social media has put the spotlight back on activities along the Ganga River. Given the river's religious significance, many people felt that the video, which shows a group of people on a boat dancing to loud DJ music and drinking alcohol in the middle of the river, was extremely inappropriate.  

One Accused Arrested

Following the video's global success, authorities acted quickly, filing a case at the Bhelupur police station. Arjun Rajbhar, a yacht decorator and one of the individuals in the video, has been taken into custody. The video, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police Gaurav Kumar, showed two people drinking alcohol while on the boat. "A case was filed after the Bhelupur police station received a complaint. He stated that the investigation is still ongoing and that efforts are being made to find more suspects. "One of the accused has been identified and arrested," he added.

Political Reactions 

As the incident gained attention, it also drew a political reaction. Samajwadi Party Leader Akhilesh Yadav weighed in, taking a swipe at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government. Speaking to reporters in Lucknow, he remarked, "Is this something new? People are consuming beer everywhere. Since the Bharatiya Janata Party government came to power, people are drinking more because they are under stress and facing difficulties." His comments added a political layer to what had already become a sensitive issue.

A similar controversy during Ramadan

Interestingly, this is not the first time Varanasi has seen controversy over activities on the Ganga. Earlier during Ramadan, at least 14 people were arrested after a video emerged allegedly showing them holding an Iftar gathering on a boat and consuming chicken biryani. The BJP Yuva Morcha's city unit president, Rajat Jaiswal, made a formal complaint, which caused the situation to worsen. Objecting strongly, he said, "The Ganga holds deep and unshakeable faith for the followers of Sanatan Dharma. Thousands of devotees from across the country and the world visit Kashi every day to perform rituals and offer prayers using Ganga water." He further added, “In such a situation, eating biryani on a boat in the middle of the river and throwing its leftovers into the water is completely inappropriate. This act appears to have been done with the intention of hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus.”

Following that complaint, a case was filed at the Kotwali police station. Several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita were cited, including those pertaining to public nuisance, defiling a place of worship, intentional acts meant to offend religious sentiments, inciting animosity between groups, and contaminating water sources. Additionally, the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1974's provisions were implemented. Vijay Pratap Singh, the Additional Commissioner of Police, subsequently verified that the widely shared footage depicted individuals holding an Iftar celebration on the river while consuming biryani.