Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra on Wednesday said nobody had stopped Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt from a darshan of the Mahakal temple in Ujjain but the actors decided against visiting the shrine due to a protest.

On Tuesday, Bajrang Dal activists had gathered near the temple to protest against Ranbir’s comments about enjoying beef, forcing the actors whose film Brahmastra opens on Friday to drop the visit. “We will not allow them to worship at the Mahakaleshwar temple as a few days back Ranbir had said he likes to eat mutton, chicken and beef,” Bajrang Dal leader Ankit Choube told reporters.