Maharashtra is gearing up for assembly elections, and a controversy has emerged involving Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s son, Shrikant Shinde. The issue centers around the unauthorized entry granted to Shrikant into the sanctum sanctorum of the Mahakaleshwar temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, which has been off-limits for the past year.
Opposition parties have expressed outrage, questioning how permission could be extended to the Chief Minister’s son despite the existing ban. This has prompted officials to order an investigation into the matter.
On Thursday evening, Shrikant Shinde, the Member of Parliament for the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency, visited the Mahakaleshwar temple with his wife and two others. A video surfaced showing them performing rituals inside the sanctum, which has since gone viral on social media. Congress leaders criticized the incident, asserting that it contravenes temple regulations regarding sanctum access.
In response to the backlash, temple committee chairman and Ujjain district collector Neeraj Kumar confirmed that there is no official permission for entry into the sanctum. He directed immediate action regarding the unauthorized access. Temple administrator Ganesh Thakre added that an investigation into the incident has been initiated, and actions will be taken against the inspector responsible for overseeing the sanctum and entry protocols.