DEHRADUN: Plans for a lavish wedding ceremony at the Sureshwari Devi temple inside the core area of Rajaji Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand triggered controversy after large-scale preparations were made in the ecologically sensitive zone known for elephant and tiger movement.
The wedding of Anuj, son of Uttarakhand Social Welfare Minister Khajan Das, was scheduled to be held at the temple located in the Haridwar range of the reserve. Pandals, stages, industrial coolers and generators had been installed at the site deep inside the wildlife habitat.
Following objections from locals and wildlife activists over possible disturbance to the ecosystem, the Rajaji Tiger Reserve administration removed the setup and registered a case against temple committee officials under the Forest Act.
Minister Khajan Das reached the temple on Sunday afternoon with his son and the bride’s family. The ceremony was later limited to a brief prayer and wedding vows.
Addressing the controversy, Minister Das said he had been visiting the temple for years. “My son’s health improved with the blessings of Goddess Sureshwari, so it was my desire to hold the wedding in the temple complex,” he said. He claimed that he was unaware of the specific permission requirements.
The Minister also alleged that officials had given tacit approval. “I visited the temple a few days ago, and Rajaji officials were with me. The Forest Director had agreed to the event,” he claimed, further suggesting that the sudden opposition was a “political conspiracy.”
“I am well aware of forest laws and would never want to disturb wildlife. If the Forest Director had informed me earlier, I would have organized the wedding elsewhere,” he added.
However, the park administration denied the claims. Ajay Lingwal, Warden of Rajaji Tiger Reserve, said, “Weddings are not permitted within the Rajaji Tiger Reserve. Preparations were being made without any authorization. Upon receiving information, our team arrived, and all equipment was removed.”
The issue also led to temporary disruption as park gates remained closed on Sunday morning, causing inconvenience to devotees. Access was restored around noon.
Ranjan Mishra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force (HoFF), said, “Since the temple is located in the core area of the park, no event of this nature can be held there. All tents and equipment were removed. We are now investigating how such a massive volume of material was transported into the protected area in the first place.”