The Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday welcomed the Supreme Court’s direction regarding smooth management in the Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri and demanded that the management processes followed in the Tirupati Temple and other major shrines in the country be followed in the 12th-Century Jagannath Temple soon.
Commenting on the SC’s order to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to ensure that no direct collection of offerings is made by any servitor and the offering is made only in Hundi, VHP Odisha (Purba) working president Dr Badrinath Patnaik said at a Press meet here said it is a welcoming decision and by this devotees won’t have to suffer the harassment done by Sevaks and would have hassle-free visit to the temple.
Patnaik also welcomed the apex court’s order to the State Government to form an experts’ panel to visit and study the management systems in major temple in the country and suggested that the Government should not be involved in the temple affairs, rather an autonomous body like a trust be formed for management of the temple. He also welcomed the direction of the SC to the District Judge, Puri to form a committee to probe the allegations of exploitation of devotees and tourists and submit its report by June 30.