Gobardhan Pith Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati on Sunday suggested constitution of a commission to probe the circumstances leading to the missing of the keys of the Shreemandir Ratna Bhandar (storeroom of lords’ jewelleries).
Expressing his anguish over the missing of the keys, the seer said the circumstances in which the keys went missing and those responsible for it should be investigated.
The Shankaracharya made the statement after Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Niranjan Patnaik met him earlier in the day.
Patnaik blamed the State Government and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) for the missing of the keys of the temple treasury.
Meanwhile, members of the Shree Jagannath Sena and the Sachetana Nagarik Manch staged demonstrations in the holy town seeking a probe into the mystery surrounding the missing keys.
Holding placards and raising slogans, the outfits’ members demanded resignation of the law Minister. They alleged that such an incidence have hurt the religious sentiments of devotees.
“If the keys are lost, how the treasure inside Ratna Bhandar will be safeguardedIJ Now, question arises why the administration has been silent and a police complaint has not been filed by the district Collector when he came to know that the key is lost. Even the law Minister is silent on the sensitive matter. Therefore, we demand his resignation and strict action as per law,” said Jagannath Sena convener Priyadarshan Patnaik.
“If the matter is not resolved at the earliest, the Jagannath Sena would move the High Court seeking its intervention,” Patnaik added.
Similarly, Sachetana Nagarik Manch president Prasanna Das said, “Suspecting foul play from the way the inspection team returned hastily from the Ratna Bhandar recently, I had lodged an FIR on April 5 saying that the treasury key is missing. Besides, I had demanded a probe to bring the truth to the fore.”