BJP announces weeklong protest from June 30

The BJP on Thursday announced to resort to a weeklong agitation across the State from June 30 to July 6 in protest against the State Government’s failure in ensuring smooth conduct of Nabakalebar Brahma Parivartan of the deities in Puri.Senior party leader Bijay Mohapatra told reporters here that senior State-level party leaders would visit various parts of the State and sensitise people about the misdeeds and the Government’s negligence leading to an inordinate delay in the Brahmap Parivartan ritual of lord Jagannath and His siblings. 

He said that the mode of agitation would be announced soon.“Section 30 of the Shree Jagannath Temple Act empowers the State Government enormously to ensure administrative control over the temple affairs and the Government can take stringent action against the errant servitors, but the Government fails to enforce the same,” said Mohapatra.

He maintained that “Starting from the Daru (holy woods) selections to the Brahma Parivartan rituals, tradition has not been religiously followed. Ministers, including the law Minister, have broken the age-old tradition by relaxing and hobnobbing with Daitapatis at the prohibited Sabarpalli and Sagadi,” said Mohapatra.

Describing the suspension of two Daitapatis just as eyewash, he reiterated his party’s demand for suspension of the Shree Jagannath Temple Chief Administrator.Mohapatra also stated that the BJP would observe ‘Black Day’ on Friday as part of its nationwide token protest over the imposition of internal Emergency in 1975.Party State president KV Singh Deo was also present at the Press conference.