News DeskMALÉ, Maldives — The Maldives Police Service has announced that Pongal, a harvest festival traditionally observed in the Tamil calendar month of Margazhi, cannot be celebrated in the country, reinforcing the nation’s strict restrictions on public religious observances outside of Islam.
The announcement followed objections from religious extremists who flagged a planned sports tournament, scheduled for February 7, 2025, as an attempt to celebrate a Hindu religious festival. The event, organized by expatriates, was initially framed as a sports competition but gained traction when media reporters in a police media group questioned whether such an event would be permitted.
Following the inquiry, the organizers canceled the event. However, reports attributed to the Maldives Police Service confirmed that any observance of Pongal would not be allowed on religious grounds.
The Maldives enforces strict regulations on non-Islamic religious activities in public spaces. Religious hardliners have previously intervened in similar instances, including a 2022 incident where a yoga event was disrupted by extremist elements, resulting in clashes and arrests.
It remains unclear why the event was circulated in the media after the organizers had already called it off.
