The groundbreaking and foundation-laying ceremony for the cable car to be constructed for Gad Ganesh Temple in the city took place amid controversies. Minister Mahesh Joshi was scheduled to inaugurate this cable car, but election department officials stopped him by referring to the Model Code of Conduct. Amid disputes, saints and mahants performed the land worship during the auspicious time. Minister Joshi remained outside the inauguration site.
In fact, at 11 a.m., a ceremony for the cable car to be constructed for Gad Ganesh Temple was planned to be held near the Nahar Ganesh Temple. A large number of people from the Hawa Mahal Assembly constituency had gathered in support of the cable car project. When the election department got wind of this, officers from the Brahmpuri police station reached the event to halt it, citing the MCC. They stopped Minister Joshi from performing the foundation-laying ceremony. Moreover, election officials did not allow the name of the minister to be inscribed on the foundation stone. Seeing the dispute escalating, five saints and mahants laid the foundation stone for the cable car.
Kirti Singh, an election department official who arrived at the scene, said, “A political foundation-laying ceremony cannot take place after MCC.” On the other hand, Minister Mahesh Joshi said, “A company came forward to build the cable car for Gad Ganesh Temple. We supported that company. The company and other people wanted me to inaugurate it, but due to complaints, election commission officials prevented it. There are people from one party who do nothing, and when someone else tries to do something, they try to stop them.”
