Former MlA and Dhenkanal district Pathargarh Jajagannath Temple committee advisor Bibhudhendra Pratap Das has urged the State Government to amend the Shree Jagannath Temple Act to implement the Supreme Court’s suggestions for abolishment of hereditary Sevaks and appointment of Sevayats on payment basis.
“As servitors are being appointed on hereditary basis, their rudeness has crossed all limits. The State Government should take bold steps and amend Shree Jagannath Temple Act in order to implement suggestions of the Supreme Court,” Das said in a statement.
Das said Brahmins can be brought from other places on consultation with the Shankaracharya for conduct of rituals in the Shreemandir. Similarly, servitors can be brought from areas like Baripada and Talcher for conduct of Rath Yatra. The Chief Minister should not make any further delay in taking actions in this regard for which he would certainly get people’s support, opined Das.
Stating that the Government is not amending the act in apprehension that Sevayatrs would stop conducting day-to-day retuals, Das reminded that the then Chief Minister Biju Patanaik had directed the police to arrest Sevayats opposing repair work at the temple.
Earlier, Das suggested to the Puri District and Sessions Judge, on whose reports the apex court directed the Centre and State Government to set things right at the Shreemandir, that provisions be made for suspension/expulsion of servitors for neglecting duty. He also suggested that minimum education be fixed for servitors and they be recruited by the Muktimandap or the Shankaracharya.
Das had also opted for making punishment provisions for demanding money from devotees and paying of visiting fees to servitors. He demanded provisions of Paramanika Darshan of deities for during one part of the day and free Darshan for another party of the day. He demanded that barricades erected in line with Bangalore Iskcon Temple to check stampede deaths in the Shreemandir.
Besides, he demanded that ‘Yatri Nivas’ be constructed to accommodate 50,000 devotees at one time.
He also suggested that a taskforce headed by an experience OAS officer be formed to evict all encroached lands of the temple and to tag all officers and employees of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration as Government servants.