Mumbai : A video showing industrialist Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani seeking blessings at Mumbai’s iconic Lalbaugcha Raja pandal has gone viral, sparking widespread outrage over alleged VIP treatment during Ganesh Chaturthi.
The clip, circulating heavily on social media, highlights the stark contrast between ordinary devotees enduring hours-long queues and the swift access granted to high-profile visitors like the Ambanis. One widely shared post captioned the video with the Marathi phrase “गरीब आणि श्रीमंतांमधला फरक” (“the difference between the poor and the wealthy”), underlining the frustration among devotees.
The backlash has been intense. Several social media users sarcastically remarked, “Don’t visit Lalbaugcha Raja unless you have ₹100 crores in your pocket,” reflecting growing anger over perceived inequality in worship arrangements.
The controversy has now reached the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC), which has issued notices to the Lalbaugcha Raja Mandal, the Maharashtra Chief Secretary, the BMC Commissioner, and the Mumbai Police Commissioner. The commission has sought an explanation for the VIP-darshan system and urged that equal opportunities be ensured for all devotees.
This incident follows an earlier viral video exposing separate queues—one for the general public and another for VIPs—which had already fueled criticism and compelled the MSHRC to step in.
The uproar has reignited the debate on accessibility, fairness, and crowd management at one of Mumbai’s most revered Ganesh festivals, raising fresh questions about whether faith should ever be divided by wealth or status.
