Controversy erupts over VIP entry at Mahakaleshwar temple: Maha CM’s son faces backlash

KK Jha

Ujjain (Team Newsbuddy): Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s son, Shrikant Shinde, has stirred controversy after being granted entry into the sanctum sanctorum of the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, despite an ongoing ban. Shrikant Shinde, who represents the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra’s Thane district, entered the ‘garbha griha’ (sanctum sanctorum) along with his wife and two others to offer prayers on Thursday evening, according to temple sources.

The incident sparked public outcry after a video of Shinde’s entry went viral, with the opposition Congress strongly criticizing the act. Congress MLA Mahesh Parmar expressed his discontent, stating, “While common devotees stand in long queues for hours to get a glimpse of Lord Mahakaleshwar, VIPs are granted privileged access in defiance of the existing ban.”

The temple has restricted devotees from entering the sanctum sanctorum for almost a year, making Shinde’s entry an exception that many see as a violation of the rules. In response to the criticism, Shrikant Shinde accused the opposition of harboring an aversion to temple visits, remarking, “They have an allergy even if we go to the temple. They don’t take darshan and stop others from doing so.”

Neeraj Kumar Singh, Chairman of the temple committee and Ujjain district collector, condemned the incident, labeling Shinde’s entry as unauthorized. He instructed the temple administrator to take immediate action, while the temple’s administrator, Ganesh Dhakad, ordered a probe into the matter. Dhakad emphasized that action will be taken against those responsible for the breach of protocol, including the inspector in charge of overseeing the sanctum sanctorum.

The Mahakaleshwar temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is one of the twelve revered ‘jyotirlinga’ temples in India and draws countless devotees year-round. The incident has brought into focus the debate over special privileges extended to VIPs at the cost of common devotees’ access to sacred sites.