The Shreemandir sevayats have decided to boycott the Rath Yatra coordination meeting to be chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday to protest against “series of false allegations” levelled against them.
The Shree Jagannath Sevayat Sammilani through a poster has asked the servitors not to attend the Rath Yatra coordination meeting this year due to the district Collector’s alleged act of defaming the servitors on several issues including the Niladri Bije fiasco and disrespect to the President of India in the temple.
“All the self-esteemed servitors are asked to boycott the Rath Yatra coordination meeting to be chaired by the Chief Minister in protest against the series of false allegations and the Collector’s tendency to blame the servitors for all the problems,” the Sammilani stated in the poster.
Notably, the servitors appeared to be displeased with Collector Arvind Agrawal after the President’s Press Secretary rubbished the alleged misconduct with President Ram Nath Kovind and his wife Savita Kovind during their visit to the temple in March.