Excise and Cooperation Minister Damodar Rout on Friday joined issue with Assam Governor and former Odisha Chief Minister Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, saying it would have been better if the latter had suggested a way out of the impasse over the Jagadguru Shankaracharya’s decision not to climb the chariots during the Rath Yatra this year.
“Janakibabu was the Chief Minister of the State for 14 years. He also has vast knowledge of the Jagannath culture. Instead of criticising the State Government, it would have been better if he had come out with some practical solution to the problem,” Rout said in his reaction to Patnaik’s statement on the issue on Thursday.
Rout even dubbed JB Patnaik’s comments as “politically-motivated”.
The Minister also refuted Patnaik’s charge that the Government was “afraid” of the Daitapati servitors. He said the Government had nothing to do with the letter written to the Shankaracharya by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), which is at the root of the current imbroglio.
He said that by accusing the Government of being afraid of the Daitapatis, JB Patnaik was actually trying to please the Daitapatis.
Coming down heavily on the Government for the way it has handled the issue, Patnaik had said the Government has acted in such a manner because it is afraid of displeasing the Daitapatis.
The way the SJTA dashed off a letter to the Shankaracharya, directing him to visit the chariots alone, without carrying any of his followers with him, was utterly insulting and should be condemned, Patnaik commented while talking to a local TV channel.
“According to me, the Shankaracharya is right. He felt offended over the regulations and restrictions imposed on him by the administration,” Patnaik, who is also eminent Sanskrit scholar, said.
The Government could have solved the dispute by holding talks with the Daitapatis, Patnaik said.
On the other hand, the Daitapatis also took on JB Patnaik, saying as a former Chief Minister, he should know that the servitors have nothing to do with the issue.
“Did he (JB) act under pressure of the Daitapatis when he was the Chief Minister,” asked Daitapati Nijog head Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra.
“We had nothing to do with the Shankaracharya’s decision not to come to the chariots. It was an issue entirely between the temple administration and the Shankaracharya. We have the highest regard for the Shankaracharya and were ready to welcome him on the chariots,” Dasmohapatra said.