Shimla, April 7
A controversy has broken out in Shimla after plans were made to hold a wedding ceremony at the Ram Temple Hall run by the Sood Sabha, prompting objections from a local group and triggering a wider debate over the use of the venue.
The ceremony, linked to a family from Eidgah Colony in Shimla, is scheduled to take place on 11 April at the Ram Temple Hall. However, the plan has been strongly opposed by members of the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti, who have objected to the event being held on premises associated with the temple complex.
The group has submitted a memorandum to the Sood Sabha, raising concerns over the decision. Its leaders, Vijay Sharma and Madan Thakur, said they would launch a protest if the ceremony goes ahead in the hall as planned. They also warned of symbolic demonstrations, saying they would intensify their agitation if their objections were ignored.
The Sood Sabha, however, has defended the booking and urged calm. Its president, Rajeev Sood, said the organisation respects the sentiments of all communities and noted that similar ceremonies have been held at the venue in the past without incident.
He clarified that the event is scheduled in the hall attached to the temple complex and not inside the temple itself. According to him, neither the Constitution nor the rules of the Sood Sabha allow discrimination in the use of the hall.
Rajeev Sood also said the venue follows clear conditions for all bookings, including a ban on meat, fish and alcohol, while cleanliness and decorum are strictly maintained. He added that over the past five years, several families from different communities have used the hall for wedding ceremonies.
With tensions rising, the Sood Sabha has called a meeting on Tuesday evening to decide its next course of action. For now, attention is focused on whether the issue can be resolved through dialogue or whether it could lead to public protests in the days ahead.
e growing controversy, the Sood Sabha has called a meeting on Tuesday evening to decide its next course of action. It remains to be seen whether the matter will be resolved peacefully or escalate into larger protests.
