BJP national executive body member Bijay Mohapatra on Friday criticised the State Government for breaching the age-old tradition of the Jagannath cult by delaying the Brahma Parivartan of the deities in the Shree Mandir.
Mohapatra told reporters here that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik needs to beg apology to the people by standing at a public place for the inordinate delay in the Brahma Parivartan ritual of the most sacred Nabakalebar festival.
“The recent disturbance inside the Shree Mandir shows that the State Government is not capable enough to conduct the Nabakalebar smoothly,” said Mohapatra, adding, “So, we suggest that the State Government seek Central assistance to make the festival a success.”
He suggested the Chief Minister, who is good at writing letters to the Centre, should communicate with the Central Government to conduct the festival by deploying Central forces to maintain peace and discipline in Puri during the upcoming Rath Yatra.
Mohapatra said the breach of the Jagannath tradition has pained crores of devotees. “We get insulted before the world mass for the mistake committed by the temple servitors, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator Suresh Mohapatra and the State Government,” he observed.
He demanded that strong action be initiated against the unruly servitors for indulging in quarreling to see the Brahma Parivartan, the most secret ritual of the Nabakalebar. He also demanded suspension of the SJTA Chief Administrator for watching the drama silently without taking any strong preventive step.
Mohapatra said the BJP agreed with Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb’s opinion about the issue that political parties are promoting vote bank in the temple.
Mohapatra called upon the religious organisations to come forward to protest the State Government’s failure in smoothly conducting the festival and breach of the sacred Jagannath tradition.
“I know this Government cannot conduct the Rath Yatra smoothly. So it should ask help from the Centre,” he said, adding, “We won’t leave the BJD Government scot-free; we will ask it to give details of expenditure of the festival in future.”