BJP MLA's Son and Bride Perform Restricted Ritual in Khajrana Temple Sanctum Sanctorum

The family of BJP MLA Golu Shukla has once again found themselves embroiled in controversy, this time at Indore's highly revered Khajrana Ganesh Temple. Despite established restrictions preventing devotees from entering the sanctum sanctorum, the MLA's son and his new bride were captured on video standing inside this restricted area, exchanging garlands before Lord Ganesha's idol.

Following their wedding on December 11, Anjanesh Shukla, the eldest son of MLA Shukla, and his bride Simran, daughter of a businessman, visited the Khajrana Ganesh Temple for 'darshan' the next day. During their visit, the couple not only accessed the sanctum sanctorum but performed a garland exchange ceremony inside this prohibited zone. The incident was recorded and has subsequently gone viral online.

Access to the sanctum sanctorum at the Khajrana Ganesh Temple has been prohibited for regular devotees since the COVID-19 pandemic as a measure to control crowds and maintain the shrine's sanctity.

This incident has attracted additional scrutiny as the wedding itself had already generated controversy due to its lavishness. The ceremony for the Indore-3 MLA's son was attended by numerous senior political figures, with reports suggesting that the celebrations cost crores of rupees, including approximately Rs 70 lakh allocated solely for fireworks.

This represents a pattern of controversial behavior by the Shukla family at religious sites. In July, Rudraksh Shukla, the MLA's younger son, allegedly forced entry into the sanctum sanctorum of Ujjain's Mahakal Temple. When temple staff member Ashish Dubey attempted to intervene, Rudraksh reportedly threatened him. The MLA was present at the temple during this incident.

Earlier in April, Rudraksh and his associates visited Mata Tekri in Dewas and reportedly became involved in a confrontation with the priest regarding opening the temple doors during late hours for 'darshan'. The priest subsequently filed a police complaint alleging assault and intimidation. The situation was ultimately resolved after Rudraksh issued an apology.