• By Aditya Jha
  • Sun, 20 Oct 2024 11:03 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND

The Mahakaleshwar temple administration in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain on Sunday removed an official amid a heavy controversy over the entry of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's MP son Shrikant Shinde in the temple's restricted area, 'garbh grih'.

Earlier, the opposition leaders claimed that Shrikant Shinde, a Lok Sabha member from Kalyan constituency, was allowed entry into the 'garbh grih' on Thursday evening by breaking the rules of the temple. 'Garbh grih' is believed to be the holy space in the temple in which entry is prohibited. 

The opposition leaders slammed the Mohan Yadav-led Madhya Pradesh government over the issue and claimed that the BJP government was providing special treatment to the VIP's in the temple's too. However, the temple administration has debunked the allegations by claiming that there was no provision for any individual to enter into the restricted areas, and a probe is ongoing into the allegations. 

ALSO READ: IDF Shares Slain Hamas Chief Yahya Sinwar’s Video Inside Gaza Tunnel Before October 7 Attack | Watch

Earlier, Congress MLA Mahesh Parmar on Friday claimed that VIPs were allowed to enter the 'garbha griha' even though the common people had to wait for hours in long queues for the darshan of Lord Mahakaleshwar. "VIPs were allowed to enter the 'garbha griha' despite a ban on entering it," he said. 


The temple committee chairman and Ujjain district collector, Neeraj Kumar, claimed that Shinde's entry was unauthorised and he had directed the temple administration to take strict action in this matter. "Nobody is allowed to enter the garbha griha. This (Shinde's) is an unauthorised entry, and I have directed the temple administrator to take immediate action in this matter," he said. 

ALSO READ: Elon Musk Says 'EVMs Too Easy To Hack'; Advocates Ballot Papers For US Polls

Ganesh Dhakad, temple administrator, said on Saturday that Vinod Chouksey, in charge of 'darshan' (viewing of deity) arrangements, has been removed from his post for alleged carelessness. He further informed that show-cause notices have also been served to three security personnel. Dhakad also claimed that strict directives have been issued so that such an incident does not recur. 

The Mahakaleshwar temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is one of the 12 'jyotirlinga' temples in the country and attracts a large number of devotees.