Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has claimed that ornaments and other precious items at the Srimandir Ratnabhandar (treasury) are safe.
The SJTA assertion comes amidst worries and a raging blame-game over keys to the Ratnabhandar going missing, prompting the state government to decide to go for a judicial probe into the episode.
In a press statement, the SJTA said that a grille-like door to the inner chamber of Ratnabhandar has three locks with one among these sealed with lac.
The temple administration also claimed that it had carried out a search, supervised by SJTA administrator (rituals), for tracing the keys to the Ratnabhandar inner chamber.
“The search team had contacted former SJTA assistant administrator Rabindra Narayan Mishra. A report regarding the temple administration’s effort to find the missing keys has been submitted to the Srimandir chief administrator,” the statement said.
As per the Shree Jagannath Temple Act 1955, the SJTA can only open the inner chamber of Ratnabhandar after receiving approval from the state government.
The temple administration had decided to open it April 4 this year, for examining its structural status after receiving the due nod from the state government, said the statement.
The temple laws dictate that the keys to the Ratnabhandar inner chamber must be deposited with the district treasury.
However, collector Aravind Agrawal had informed the SJTA that the district treasury did not have the keys.
“Officials of the temple administration had searched all cupboards, racks and lockers at Srimandir office to trace the keys, but all efforts went in vain. The issue was deliberated at the meetings of Ratnabhandar sub-committee and Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee,” read the statement.
The SJTA, meanwhile, urged the district administration to conduct another search at the district treasury.
Welcoming the state government’s decision to launch a judicial probe into the issue, SJTA public relations officer Laxmidhar Pujapanda said, “We will fully cooperate with the judicial panel.”
Rout questions judicial probe
Bhubaneswar: Ruling BJD MLA and former minister Damodar Rout Tuesday questioned the state government’s order for a judicial probe into the Srimandir Ratnabhandar missing key row and said it was done to avoid opposition’s attention.
“When opposition parties are talking so much on this issue, what can we do if we don’t set up a commission to avoid it?” the senior leader asked leaving the ruling party and its government jittery.
Rout, known for his controversial remarks that have put the BJD in the soup before, also cited the example of a commission set up by the government on the clash between police and villagers at a village in Kashipur.
“Mishra Commission was formed and around `12 lakh was spent on it, but none were found guilty in the report furnished by the commission. Such are the commissions,” Rout said. He also questioned why the keys of Ratnabhandar were not kept with the district treasury and instead given to three individuals while raising doubts whether it was possible one might have taken away the valuables.
“Three keys of Ratnabhandar are with three persons – Puri Sankaracharya, Gajapati Maharaja and Bhandar Mekap. Why is the Gajapati Maharaja still silent on the issue?” he asked.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra demanded that the Ratnabhandar should be opened again and fresh inventory be prepared of the gold, gems and other precious stones and valuables kept in it. Mohapatra stressed that a fresh audit of the Ratnabhandar is necessary as many of the persons who were part of the audit in 1978 are not alive.
