Even as the issue of mounting on chariots and touching the deities during the Rath Yatra at Puri has turned highly controversial, a PIl was filed in the Odisha High Court on Wednesday seeking judicial intervention for smooth conduct of the nine-day festival. Advocate and social activist Nishikant Mishra and two others approached the High Court invoking Article 26 of the Constitution and in the matter of Sri Jagannath Temple Act-1955 stating that the State law Minister Arun Sahoo is issuing public statements which are contrary to the decisions of the Jagadguru Shankaracharya and the Mukti Mandap Pandit Sabha, the supreme authorities in the matters of rituals of the deities.
Making the law Minister and five others as respondents to the petition, the petitioners have challenged the actions of the Government for illegally interfering in the religious practices observed in the lord Jagannath Temple since time immemorial.
“By issuing statements against the established customs and rituals, the law Minister is acting as an impediment in the smooth conduct of the chariot festival and thereby disheartening lakhs of devotees,” said petitioner Mishra, adding that he would make a mention soon for an early hearing of the matter as the Rath Yatra is beginning on June 29.
It may be mentioned that the law Minister last week in an ambiguous manner issued a statement saying the devotees cannot mount the chariots on the days of Gundicha, Bahuda and Suna Vesa, which otherwise allows the devotees to climb the chariots and touch the deities on the remaining days.