In the now-viral clip, the woman can be heard telling police that tourists are the reason local people earn money. She reportedly said that locals survive because of visitors and questioned why tourists were being stopped. At one point, she also claimed that she was drinking with her own money and that nobody had the right to interfere.
However, the police and locals present at the spot argued that drinking alcohol near the Ganga is not allowed in many parts of Rishikesh because of the religious and spiritual significance of the river. The Ganga is considered sacred by millions of people, and several areas around the ghats and riverbanks have restrictions on alcohol, non-vegetarian food, and certain activities seen as disrespectful to the place.
