Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 19: Mudslinging among political parties over the unwarranted delay in the conduct of the Brahma Paribartan ritual of the Nabakalebara festivities continued for the third consecutive day with the Opposition Congress demanding the immediate suspension of Shri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief Suresh Mohapartra and setting up of a judicial commission of inquiry.
Brahma Paribartan ritual was delayed by almost half-a-day, leading to protests from devotees. The ritual was conducted in broad daylight Tuesday instead of being performed in darkness on the midnight of ‘Amavasya’ (June 15), according to the record of rights of Srimandir.
“The temple administration has failed to manage the affairs. The chief administrator should be held responsible for the inordinate delay,” said Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Prasad Harichandan.
“The state government cannot shirk responsibility. The matter should be probed by a judicial commission of inquiry set up by the High Court on the lines of a panel set up in 1977,” said Harichandan.
The Congress leader accused the ruling party of interfering in administration of the shrine and said, “The ruling party must stop its vote-bank politics over Srimandir.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also sought immediate action against the servitors who were responsible for the delay as well as the suspension of Mohapatra.
“The state government and SJTA are responsible for the disturbances during the rituals. The government should suspend the SJTA chief administrator and appoint another sincere officer on that post,” said senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra.
“The government has failed to conduct the rituals peacefully. This shows that it canot manage the law and order situation during the Rath Yatra next month,” Mohapatra said.
“The state government should immediately seek help from the Centre and hand over the management to the Union government. It should also seek deployment of central forces to ensure that the festival is observed without incident,” he added.
“How did the temple administration allow so many people, some of them with mobile phones, inside the shrine for the secret ritual? The whole episode has hurt the sentiments of devotees and lowered the image of the state,” he said.
The BJD countered the attack. “They (Congress and BJP) should stop politicising the issue. The state government never interferes in the matters of temple management. However, to make Nabakalebara a grand success all possible measures are being taken by the BJD government,” said BJD spokesperson Samir Ranjan Das.
The SJTA chief administrator has, meanwhile, issued show-cause notices to several servitors.
“Strong action will be initiated against whoever is found guilty,” added the BJD spokesperson.