A section of servitors of the Shree Jagannath Temple after their unsuccessful attempt to resolve the Niladri Bije bungling issue through dialogues with the temple Chief Administrator and the District Magistrate resorted to an agitation on Monday.
The servitors staged a dharna inside the temple complex (Vitar Bedha) led by Janardan Pattajoshi Mahapatra, president of the Chhatisha Nijog. The dharna would continue daily till the administration fulfils their demand, informed Pattajoshi Mahapatra. Two temple managing body members, Bhagban Suar and Birakishore Mahapatra, also participated in Monday’s dharna. The servitors demand that the administration stop repressive measures against them, withdraw all cases against them and refrain from interfering in their traditional rights.
They said that as per the Sunday decision, all the five servitor members in the temple managing body would tender resignation in protest against the temple administration’s “anti-servitor” attitude.
The temple administration authorities said they are yet to receive resignation of any managing body member. The daily rituals were running as per the schedule without disruption, Chief Administrator Suresh Chandra Mohapatra to mediapersons.
Another servitor group said that as a silent protest they would not assist the pilgrims in the temple and would not render any service to them. The pilgrim is free to have darshan on his own. This has been resolved to curb the allegations of misbehavior with pilgrims by servitors in the temple, they said.