Puri: A delegation of Odisha BJP led by its former president Samir Mohanty Wednesday met Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb demanding reopening of Lord Jagannath temple’s Ratna Bhandar (treasury).
The delegation comprising Puri MLA Jayant Sarangi, Bramhagiri MLA Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra and senior advocate and leader Pitambar Acharya met the titular king of Puri here at the latter’s residence.
The party said the Ratna Bhandar was opened for inventory 45 years ago in 1978. Though Shree Jagannath Temple Act, 1955 has provisioned the opening of the temple’s treasury for inventory every three years, the BJD government has ignored it.
During its 24-year tenure, the BJD government always avoided inventory of the treasury. This has led to suspicion and public outcry among Lord Jagannath devotees across the country, they said.
Since Gajapati Maharaja is also the chairman of Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, the BJP leaders sought his intervention to recommend the government to open the Ratna Bhandar without delay.
Mohanty, who filed a PIL in Orissa High Court seeking an order to the government for reopening of the Ratna Bhandar for necessary repairs and inventory, said the state administration was yet to form a high-level committee for the purpose.
In August first week, the high court had asked the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to constitute a high-level committee within two months for the purpose.
The titular Puri king also wants an inventory of the Ratna Bhandar. Lakhs of Jagannath devotees also want to know why the Odisha government hasn’t reopened the Bhandar yet, he said.
Speaking to PTI, senior BJP leader and Orissa HC advocate Pitambar Acharya said, “There was a very cordial and extensive discussion held with Gajapati Maharaja regarding opening of the Ratna Bhandar and preparation of inventory of jewelleries.”
Gajapati Maharaja in the capacity of the chairman of the temple managing committee has already requested the formation of a high-power committee under the chairmanship of either a retired Supreme Court judge or a retired high court judge, he said.
“Though two months have passed since the Maharaja’s recommendation, no committee has been constituted by the government for expediting the inventory process. So, we have requested the Gajapati Maharaj to move to the state government again for the formation of the panel as quickly as possible,” Acharya said.
On the other hand, senior BJD leader Nrusingha Charan Sahu accused the opposition BJP of playing politics over the sensitive issue. The HC has given its order and the temple managing committee will take decision in this regard, he said.
“When the BJP-BJD coalition government was ruling the state, a BJP leader was serving as law minister. Why didn’t the BJP raise this issue during that period?” he asked.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) October 16 took out a protest rally in Puri for reopening of the Ratna Bhandar for necessary repairs and inventory of ornaments and valuables.
SJTA chief administrator Ranjan Kumar Das said the Ratna Bhandar is safe and no one should worry about it. He said the matter regarding the special committee would be discussed in the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee meeting and the high court would be duly apprised in this regard.
PTI