Former Member of legislative Assembly (MlA) Bibhudendra Pratap Das on Monday warned the State Government that it would be responsible if any damage is caused to the Jagannath Temple at Puri due to terrorist attack.
“Non-Hindus and foreigners are entering the Jagannath Temple at regular intervals without any difficulty, which exposes the inefficiency of the police administration. Following the terrorist attack on Akshyadham temple a few years ago, the Union Government had directed the State Government to beef up security at the Konark Sun Temple, the lingaraj Temple at Bhubaneswar, besides the Jagannath Temple at Puri. Except the existing police stations at these sites, the State Government has taken no further steps to prevent any untoward incidents,” Das told mediaperosns.
He also slammed the State Government for not installing a Xerox-scanner at the Jagannath Temple.“On June 28, 2010, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the Assembly had informed that the proposal of installing a Xerox-scanner at the Jagannath Temple to scan the baggage of devotees entering the shrine is under active consideration of the State Government, but nothing in this respect has happened as yet,” alleged Das.