‘Rent a Garba Partner’ Ads Row: BJP MLA Sanjay Upadhyay Urges Mumbai Police Probe Over Safety and Fraud Concerns (Video)
‘Rent a Garba Partner’ advertisements on social media offering tiered packages for Navratri have sparked controversy in Mumbai. BJP MLA Sanjay Upadhyay wrote to the Mumbai Police Commissioner seeking an immediate probe into potential cyber fraud and women's safety risks, warning that commercial companion schemes dishonor the devotional sanctity of the festival.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sanjay Upadhyay has formally approached the Mumbai Police seeking an immediate probe into viral advertisements and online activities operating under the banner of 'Rent a Garba Partner' ahead of the Navratri 2026 festival. The legislator expressed serious concern over potential financial fraud, misrepresentation, and threats to women's safety, demanding that law enforcement identify the organisers and sponsors behind the commercialised listings.
The complaint was submitted on Tuesday to the Mumbai Police Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioners of Police for the Borivali and Dahisar zones, and senior inspectors across multiple suburban police stations, including Borivali, Kandivali, Kasturba Marg, and Charkop. Upadhyay urged authorities to verify the legitimacy of these social media offers and take stringent legal action if any illicit modules, exploitation, or deceptive schemes are uncovered. ‘Rent a Garba Partner’ Controversy: Viral Ads, Police Warning and Locals’ Demand.
MLA Sanjay Upadhyay Urges Mumbai Police Probe Over ‘Rent a Garba Partner’ Ads
Mumbai, Maharashtra: BJP MLA Sanjay Upadhyay has urged the Mumbai Police to conduct an immediate investigation into alleged advertisements and activities being run under the name 'Rent a Garba Partner'
He says, "Navratri is a festival dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga… pic.twitter.com/NeY4PXG6BO
— IANS (@ians_india) September 22, 2026
Sanjay Upadhyay Highlights Sanctity of Navratri Festival
Voicing his opposition to the commercialisation and packaging of festival companions, Upadhyay emphasised the devotional essence of the nine-night celebration.
He says, "Navratri is a festival dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga through fasting and mantra sadhana. We worship the nine forms of Maa Durga and observe strict fasts. Many devotees also perform mantra sadhana during Navratri. During Navratri, people usually come with their families and stay within their own communities and social circles with people they know. This is how it generally happens in Mumbai as well. There is no particular condition for outsiders...But the kind of advertisements you can see, where pictures of girls are displayed and Silver, Gold and Platinum packages are offered-the Silver package involves less money and fewer facilities, the Gold package costs more and offers slightly more time, and the Platinum package offers 24 hours of Navratri..." Should Muslims Be Banned From Navratri Garba Events? Amruta Fadnavis Responds After VHP’s Ban Call (Video).
The legislator stated that reducing the cultural and religious celebration into tiered rental arrangements harms the sanctity of the festival and creates an environment ripe for misconduct.
Tiered Packages and Safety Concerns Flagged
The advertisements, which surfaced on various social media platforms and discussion boards, promote paid companionship for Garba events with prices ranging from INR 1,000 to INR 5,000. Some posts feature tiered slabs labeled Silver, Gold, and Platinum, covering hours spent dancing, basic tutoring, traditional attire coordination, and social media content creation.
Other promotional variations even pitched an "NRI Garba Partner" category with scripted backstories, while certain posts mentioned personal gestures, raising alarms among community leaders and cyber experts over potential harassment and trafficking rackets.
Police Verification and Cyber Vigilance
The controversy in Mumbai emerges alongside similar warnings issued in Gujarat, where cybercrime authorities have cautioned citizens against engaging with online companion offers or making advance monetary transfers to unverified accounts.
Police departments have advised users not to share financial credentials, OTPs, or personal identity details with anonymous social media handles. Mumbai Police officials confirmed that the contents of the complaint and the digital links provided are undergoing preliminary verification to determine whether the posts represent an authentic illicit enterprise, an online scam, or mischievous social media trends.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 22, 2026 05:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
