Overview
- Members of the Rashtriya Hindu Shakti Sangathan entered a hotel rehearsal for the Miss Rishikesh pageant and pressed to halt it, arguing the outfits defied local culture.
- A widely shared video shows a heated exchange in which a contestant confronts an activist, asserting he had no right to stop the event.
- Organisers from Lions Club Rishikesh Royal said the auditions were part of a Diwali fair, held with parental consent to provide opportunities for local women.
- Police said they received no complaint and described the matter as resolved between parties, though some reports claimed officers were called to calm the scene.
- The group’s leader, Raghvendra Bhatnagar, framed his objections in terms of Sanatan values and modesty; the pageant proceeded and contestant Muskan Sharma won the title.