Niranjan demands reforms at Jagannath temple

Senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik has demanded comprehensive reforms of all activities relating to the Jagannath temple, Puri following the Brahma Parivartan crisis.“The failure to properly manage the sacred and unique event of Brahma Parivartan has, while deeply hurting the religious sentiments of Odias, lowered the prestige of the State and its people,” said Patnaik in a Press release on Thursday.

Besides, forming committees from time-to-time to visit other religious centers, the Government has showed little resolve to find a lasting solution to the perennial allegations of harassment of the devotees, Patnaik maintained.Supporting the views expressed by the Puri Gajapati, the former PCC president 

said the recent events should be more than a wakeup call.

“Any further negligence and mismanagement will only end up embarrassing Odias further and people will ask if we are any good if we cannot manage affairs of our most sacred of religious places. A cross-party committee under the Gajapati with legal luminaries, former civil servants etc should be formed and a new Temple Act should be promulgated along with comprehensive reform of all activities and substantial up-gradation of the physical infrastructure, all of which should be accomplished within a year,” said Patniak.He also criticised the Chief Minister for his failure in handling the affairs smoothly.