‘Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt decided against Mahakal Temple visit due to protest,’ says MP home miner, adds actors shouldn’t make ‘hurtful’ comments

Madhya Pradesh home miner Narottam Mishra on Wednesday said nobody had stopped actor couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt from darshan of Mahakal temple in Ujjain but they decided against visiting the temple due to a protest, after Bajrang Dal workers demonstrated near the famous shrine of Lord Shiva.
The miner also said arts and actors should stay away from making such remarks that can hurt the sentiments of the people. Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt didn’t visit the temple on Tuesday night because of the protest right-wing activs over Ranbir’s decade-old remarks about beef-eating.

Police had resorted to cane-charge to disperse the protesters, an official had said. “The protest is a different matter. There was no restriction on them to offer prayers (at the temple). Other persons accompanying the actor couple had offered prayers and all arrangements were in place,” Mishra, who is the state government’s spokesman, told reporters.
He said the local adminration told him that Ranbir and Alia were requested to visit the temple “but it was their decision not to go there because of the protest”. Amid the demonstration, Brahmastra film director Ayan Mukherjee took darshan of the deity on Tuesday night, temple priest Ashish Pujari said.
Eyewitnesses had said despite the cane charge, the protesters continued to stage the protest near the temple premises. “We will not allow them to worship at the holy Mahakaleshwar temple as a few days back Ranbir had said that he likes to eat mutton, chicken and beef in non-veg food.

“Even Alia had said that those who want to see her film Brahmastra should watch it while others who are not keen shouldn’t,” a Bajrang Dal leader had told reporters.
Police took the action under section 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against a right-wing activ, an official had said. Mahakaleshwar temple is one of the 12 ‘Jyotirlingas’ thronged thousands of devotees every day.

Though Ranbir and Alia chose not to visit the temple amid protests, only Brahmastra director Ayan Mukerji entered the temple’s inner sanctum. During a promotional event in Delhi on Wednesday, Ayan opened up about how he felt bad about the protests as he wanted to visit the temple with the couple.
“I had gone to Mahakaleshwar temple before my motion poster released. And, I had told myself that I would definitely come here before the release of my film. And, both Ranbir and Alia were keen to come with me. But, when we reached there and heard about this, I felt bad about what happened there. And, then I told Ranbir and Alia to let me go alone. I went there to seek blessings and energy for the film,” Ayan said.

The filmmaker also shared how he did not want to take Alia Bhatt there in her current condition, referring to her pregnancy. “I just didn’t want to take Alia there in her current condition. So, I felt very bad going there alone. And after visiting the temple, honestly I felt that they could have also come.”
Brahmastra, also featuring megastar Amitabh Bachchan, is scheduled to release on September 9. The film is one of the most anticipated movies of the year riding on its promise of delivering a fantasy epic on the big screen.