New Delhi: Around 200 people have signed a petition drafted by the National Alliance for Peoples Movement (NAPM), Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (Anhad) and Peoples’ Union for Civil Rights (PUCL) demanding legal action against “vigilante interference” during Navratri events in Gujarat. The letter follows a garba event in Ahmedabad on October 14 that featured performing artist Aditya Gadhvi, whose act was interrupted by an announcement from the stage asking non-Hindus to “leave voluntarily”.The signatories have said that such “coercive identity checks”, following pressure from vigilante groups, violate constitutional guarantees under Articles 14, 15 and 21 and warned that the “pattern of intimidation” across Gujarat erode communal harmony and the rule of law.Cedric Prakash, human rights and peace activist; Martin Macwan, Dalit rights and human rights activist; Ira Bhaskar, cinema scholar and former professor; the noted sociologist Ghanshyam Shah; Sejal Dand of PUCL Gujarat, Bhargav Oza for NAPM Gujarat, urban planning scholar Darshini Mahadevia and Tushar A. Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, are among the signatories.“The announcement openly referenced the presence and instructions of extraconstitutional vigilante groups, including members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), while circulating a hotline number to report ‘suspicious persons’,” says the statement.It says police authorities must take “decisive and stern action against members of organisations that take the law into their own hands, intrude upon event premises and intimidate attendees”.Also read: Jaipur: Muslim Influencer’s Garba Event Appearances Cancelled After Hindutva Groups Warn OrganisersGadhvi later issued a public clarification in which he said the vigilante groups forcibly took control of the stage and made the discriminatory call, and this was endorsed by the Radio Jockey Akash Trivedi, also on the stage.The statement, which points out that such disruptions by urges state authorities and the DGP of Gujarat to take immediate legal action, demanding:Registration of an FIR under key sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) for promoting enmity, criminal intimidation, and unlawful assembly.Decisive action against vigilante groups taking the law into their own hands.Institutional accountability for event organisers to ensure the safety and constitutional rights of all ticket holding attendees.During a “commercial garba event” titled ‘Rang Morla featuring Aditya Gadhvi’, held at the Savvana Party Plot on Shela Road, an announcement was publicly broadcast from the stage featuring anchor and radio jockey Akash Trivedi, explicitly asking non-Hindus – specifically pointing to members of the Muslim community – to immediately leave the venue, the statement recounts.“Festivals in Gujarat, including Navratri, have historically served as spaces of collective cultural celebration, social harmony, and communal unity. The deliberate conversion of cultural gatherings into sites of hostility, exclusion and polarisation undermines the social fabric of our state,” it says, adding that these are “not new or isolated incidents, but have been happening consistently during Navratris for the past several years”.Silence in the face of growing intolerance enables further lawlessness, the signatories say, appealing to civil society. “We appeal to the larger civil society – legal collectives, trade unions, youth groups, cultural workers,and conscious citizens – to proactively raise this issue before statutory oversight bodies,” they write.Here is the full list of signatories:Dev Desai, Anhad, AhmedabadBandish Soparkar, Advocate, AhmedabadSavan Zalariya, Student and Youth Collective (SYCA), AhmedabadJayanti Panchal, Trade Unionist, AhmedabadAkhil, AhmedabadA Malhotra, DelhiSuchitra B, Teacher, AhmedabadRohit Chauhan, Okhamandal Paryavaran Jan Sangharsh Samiti, JunagadhMeenakshi Joshi, Movement for Secular Democracy, AhmedabadJagdish Patel, VadodaraJitu, AhmedabadRaghavan Rangarajan, PUCL Gujarat, Ahmedabadપીયષૂ કુમાર જ.ભટટ, નિવત્તૃ પ્રોફેસર, HNGU, GU, AhmedabadJayesh Lalka, Social Worker, BhujDipal, Research Scholar, AhmedabadAarav Thakore, Student at Georg-August Universität Göttingen, GöttingenApoorva, AhmedabadKalpana Pareek, Retired, AhmedabadP.S., Independent Brand Consultant, AhmedabadZarna Adtani, Law Student, VadodaraDev S Nill, AhmedabadSumeet Varghese, OD Consulting, AhmedabadManasa, Student, AhmedabadRajesh Naidu, AhmedabadCedric Prakash, Human Rights and Peace Activist, Writer & Trainer, AhmedabadShubh Tripathi, Ahmedabad University, AhmedabadSahil, Teacher, AhmedabadGurudatt Gaur, AhmedabadSejal Dand, PUCL Gujarat, AhmedabadSatya Oza, AhmedabadMaitreyi Purohit, Economist, Ahmedabadરીટા પરમાર, ઘોઘબં ાDarshini Mahadevia, AhmedabadBetty Cyril, MSK, AhmedabadHimat Chauhan, Social Worker, AnandAziz Minat, Concerned Citizen in Individual Capacity, AhmedabadBhavik Raja, CPDRS, AhmedabadSwati Desai, NAPM Gujarat, VadodaraChitra Harshvardhan, Retired Professor, Goa – 403103Darshan Desai, Independent Journalist, VadodaraHarshita, Student, AhmedabadRonald Saldanha, Social, AhmedabadKamlesh Kataria, Independent Business, AhmedabadSweety Coutinho, NA, GandhinagarHarsh Parmar, Student, SYCA, AhmedabadZakir Kazi, Social Worker, Ahmedabad CityIda Cordeiro, Educationist, AhmedabadShoaib Qureshi, Freelance Journalist, AhmedabadBhaavya, Photographer, GandhinagarAnvita Brahmbhatt, AhmedabadUdip Thakkar, Architecture, AhmedabadFardin Vhora, Student, AnandNirav Chavada, NGO Worker, KhedbrahmaSanjay Bhave, Teaching, AhmedabadJatinder, AhmedabadMansi, AhmedabadNikita Chatterjee, Researcher, AhmedabadNeha Shah, Individual, AhmedabadNeha Shah, Individual, AhmedabadLeonard Fernandes, MBA Student, AhmedabadHarshit Agrawal, AhmedabadRenu Desai, Researcher, AhmedabadHardik Kunbi, Rehabilitation Social Worker, NavsariLeonard Fernandes, AhmedabadRenu Mittal, Apparel Designer, AhmedabadAmin Makaranth, Social Worker, Ahmedabad, GujaratMadhavi Desai, Architect, AhmedabadAtul S, Student at the National Institute of Design, GandhinagarVedika Vaidya, Law Student, AhmedabadRijin A T, Social Worker, BhujDipani, Ecologist, AhmedabadDhwani Shah, Artist, AhmedabadMansi, BhujVishal, Student, GandhidhamMadhuri, Architect, AhmedabadRoger Samuel, K&S Enterprises, Dwarka, New DelhiDhruvik Patel, Builder, RajkotNatasha Maru, BhujLaasya Nandula, Student, AhmedabadSwati Goswami, Communication Consultant, AhmedabadMahesh Gajera, AhmedabadAbhinandan Sinha, AhmedabadSubhash Tapodhan, Freedome, AhmedabadDivy Bhagia, AhmedabadAshutosh Anil Gudi, Student, BangaloreMayur Chavda, NGO Namaste Animal Foundation (Volunteer) & Civil, Ahmedabad, GujaratMuskan, AhmedabadVijay Gera, Psychologist, AhmedabadMary Ann Chacko, Ahmedabad University, AhmedabadSurya Kumar Maurya, AhmedabadMaulshree Gangwar, AhmedabadVijaykumar Sarsava, ધ ઓલ ગજુ રાત ઑટોરિક્ષા ડ્રાઈવર્સ યનુિયન, AhmedabadKiran, Tuition, AhmedabadChirag Trivedi, An Academic, AhmedabadRiya, AhmedabadSunetra Deshpande, Social Researcher, AhmedabadNairuti Trivedi, Clinical Psychologist, AhmedabadRoselle Solomon, YWCA of Goa, GoaSujata Gothoskar, Researcher, MumbaiAryan Qadri, Comedian, AhmedabadHarsiddhi Chhaiya, Fashion Designer, AhmedabadMartin Macwan, Navsarjan Trust, AhmedabadRamya, Homemaker, AhmedabadJayrambhai Rabari, AhmedabadSajani Sutaria Dua, Entrepreneur, AhmedabadMurari Kumar Jha, Teacher, AhmedabadPrasad Chacko, PUCL Gujarat, AhmedabadA. D’Souza, Retired, ValsadAseem Mishra, Social Worker, BhujShibani, Social Worker, MumbaiBhavna Ramrakhiani, ACF, AhmedabadMalhar Edwankar, Freelance Filmmaker, AhmedabadSosa Koshy, BangaloreSowmya Dechamma, CC, HyderabadRay Rudra, Student, Ahmedabad, DelhiGova Rathod, Social Activist, JunagadhNirzari Pandit, Teaching and Research, AhmedabadPiyush, Business, AhmedabadAyesha, AhmedabadVarsha Tripathi, Housewife, AhmedabadLishya, Teacher, BangaloreJayant Solanki, Retired, AhmedabadNavdeep Mathur, Academics, AhmedabadAniruddh Sheth, New DelhiAishani, AhmedabadKesha Marvada, Researcher, BangaloreRima Kashyap, Nil, BengaluruShrikant Amrutsagar, Dalai Lama Foundation, Nandurbar Maharashtra Gujarat Border DistrictJigar Thakor, Student, PatanDr Aum Kotwal, Advocate, AhmedabadNihal Shirur, Student, GandhinagarEast Nizz, NGO, BangaloreAshim Roy, Trade Unionist, AhmedabadNimmi Chauhan, Citizen, AhmedabadPurvi Tank, Architect, AhmedabadTanish Ramchandani, AhmedabadApoorva, AhmedabadKaushal Kumbhani, Working Professional, AhmedabadRiya Jain, AhmedabadPiyush Chavda, Student, AhmedabadPrarthna Nanda, Lawyer, GurgaonAftab Pathan, AhmedabadMaherunnisa Desai, Retired Professor, AhmedabadRohan Kinger, Researcher, AhmedabadNirjhari Sinha, Jan Sangharsh Manch, AhmedabadIra Bhaskar, Professor (Retd.), Jawaharlal Nehru University, DelhiAranyani Bhargav, Indian Dancers for Gaza’s Children / Dancer, BangaloreShreya Jain, SYCA, AhmedabadRenu Pokharna, Writer, AhmedabadKhayal, Manager, AhmedabadNeeraj Naidu, Ahmedabad University, AhmedabadTushar A. Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi Foundation, Writer, MumbaiShefali Jha, Teaching and Research, AhmedabadSetu, AhmedabadMujahid Nafees, AhmedabadSaloni Gajjar, AhmedabadNiharika Rai, AhmedabadShabeeh Rahat, Teaching, AhmedabadAstha, Business, AhmedabadBharti Parmar, AIMSS, BarodaDrashti Chauhan, Student, AhmedabadVickram Crishna, MumbaiDhara Patel, Landscape Architect, AhmedabadKasturi Chatterjee, AhmedabadViram Rabari, Maldhari Maha Panchayat, AhmedabadRafi Malek, AhmedabadArunesh Maiyar, LGBTQ, BengaluruTapan Dasgupta, All India United Trade Union Centre, VadodaraKhatija Malik, Retired Government Servant, AhmedabadJayesh Jani, Retired, VadodaraHitendra Bhatt, All India Insurance Employees Association (wZIEA), GandhinagarArun Agnihotri, Education, BengaluruHet Naik, Teaching Associate, AhmedabadVijay Parmar, Educator, AhmedabadAshok Sharma, Retired Diplomat, DelhiHemal Jadav, Journalist, AhmedabadGhanshyam Shah, Research, AhmedabadSmita, Retired, VadodaraNilesh Modi, Self-employed, AhmedabadDivyatanu Dev, Architect, AhmedabadIshvar Bhai Desai, Business, AhmedabadAdvocate Hozefa Ujjaini, AhmedabadAparna, Writer, AhmedabadKhyal, Artist/Educationist, AhmedabadMohit Ahuja, Educator, AhmedabadSaakshi, Self-employed, AhmedabadDr. Sonali Pattnaik, Poet, Academician, Writer, AhmedabadParthivrajsinh Kathavadia, Self-employed, AhmedabadChidambana, AhmedabadDr Krushna Makwana, Physician, AhmedabadVandita, AhmedabadParamita Banerjee, Non-profit Professional, KolkataDemocratic Youth Front (DYF), AhmedabadTrishant, Business, VadodaraDivyang Mokariya, Journalist, DelhiAangi Patwa, Senior Consultant, AhmedabadAnandvardhan Yagnik, Lawyer, AhmedabadRohit, Student, AhmedabadShantilal Parmar, Social Worker, AnandKrisha Mayavanshi, VadodaraNandini Mitra, Lawyer, KolkataNaimuddin Zahiruddin Shaikh, Business, AhmedabadSudhir Katiyar, AhmedabadSiddharth Patel, VadodaraOshin Thakkar, VadodaraSreeja Matravadia, Student: BA Sociology, AhmedabadNandini, DelhiAnusree, Media Professional, MumbaiAkshat Banerjee, Teacher, Vadodara