Muslim man rinsing mouth at Golden Temple sparks backlash, netizens divided | VIDEO

A video of a Muslim man inside Sri Darbar Sahib, popularly known as the Golden Temple, has gone viral on social media, triggering sharp criticism and a wider debate on religious conduct and filming inside sacred spaces.

In the clip, the man is seen wearing a taqiyah, rinsing his mouth with water from the sacred sarovar and recording a reel within the temple complex. The visuals sparked outrage among several users online.

One critic wrote, “That raised finger means ‘There is no god but Allah’. If he were a Hindu, he would have been lynched on the spot.” Another user commented, “Hindu girl does simple yoga (Dhyan Mudra) at Golden Temple, faces FIR & backlash... Muslim man spits on holy water, shows Islamic finger salute of supremacy... no backlash or cases. Hypocrisy?”

As the backlash intensified, another video of the man surfaced in which he explained his experience at the shrine. “Despite being surrounded by devotees wearing pags, I was the only one wearing a cap and yet faced no objection,” he said. Highlighting unity, he added, “Hindu Muslim Sikh Issai, aapas me hai bhai bhai.” 

At the same time, many social media users defended his presence, stressing that the Golden Temple welcomes people of all faiths. One supporter wrote, “Nothing wrong. Everyone is welcome to enter unless someone blocks them for entering.”

The Golden Temple is globally known for its open-door policy and langar, which serves free meals to thousands daily, reflecting Sikh values of equality and service.