Bhubaneswar: A day after a reported untimely Rath Yatra was organised by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, leaders across the party lines strongly criticised the move.
Leaders from BJD, BJP and Congress demanded action against the organisation for repeatedly violating the tradition of Srimandir in Puri.
Senior BJD legislator Amar Satpathy said, “The Iskcon people are deliberately doing it to distort Jagannath Culture. I think the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) should file criminal case against the organisation because they have done it again after seeking apology for such mistake earlier.
State BJP spokesperson Golak Mohapatra said, “If something goes wrong and is related to our Lord Jagannath, it is the first duty of the state government to act on the issue. It will be difficult to stop such practices until specific law or government order is put in place.”
“This is a farce. Whoever wants to organise car festival regardless of time concern puts up a Puja pandal and organises the festival. An enquiry should be conducted and action must be taken against those who have involved in the practice of organising unscheduled Rath Yatra,” Congress MLA Suresh Routray.
He further said Congress legislators will raise this issue on the floor of the Assembly during the upcoming Budget session and demand for a legislation to counter it.
Thursday, public relations officer (PRO) of Odisha Iskcon unit, Radhakanta Das, said, “Odisha Iskcon wants Rath Yatra to be celebrated all over the world on a particular day as per the rituals and tradition of the Puri Jagannath Temple.”
In view of the Rath Yatra being celebrated on separate dates last year, at a meeting chaired by Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (STJA) Chief Administrator, Krishan Kumar, it was decided that the world famous festival must be celebrated on one date across the country according to the Hindu almanac.