The Odisha government on Wednesday cancelled a book reading session by author William Dalrymple, citing the Model Code of Conduct in place because of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state. However, according to a report in The Indian Express, the session was cancelled after a man affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh filed a police complaint, claiming it would hurt Hindus.

A book reading session of Nine Lives: In search of the sacred in modern India by Dalrymple was scheduled to be held at an event at the Mukteswar Temple in Bhubaneswar, which starts on Friday. The book explores religious traditions of India through the lives of nine characters.

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The event will be hosted by the state’s tourism department.

The complainant, Anil Dhir, claimed that the book reading session was illegal. “Mukteswar is a living temple where ritualistic worship is conducted every day.” Dhir told the newspaper. “It will hurt the sentiments of Hindus if the temple is misused. As Hindus, we will protest peacefully.”

Dhir said that “uncontrolled crowds” would put the heritage structure at risk. “Mukteswar Temple, being a protected monument of the Archaeological Survey of India, cannot be used to publicise his [Dalrymple’s] latest book Nine Lives, a purely private affair with commercial interests,” Dhir said.

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Dhir is a former media convenor of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Odisha unit. He told the daily that he is “no longer an active member” of the party and identified himself as a “swayamsevak”. The complainant said he had objected to the event in his capacity as a member of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. He said that he had also asked the ASI if it had granted permission to host the event at the temple.

In its post, the state tourism department said that Dalrymple will stick to his personal itinerary as a guest of the Odisha government from April 5 to April 8.