With the issue of devotees climbing the chariots of lord Jagannath during the Rath Yatra having snowballed into a major controversy, the Congress on Tuesday urged the Assembly Speaker to convene an all-party meeting to resolve the issue.
“The situation is gradually becoming complicated. Therefore, we request the Speaker to convene a meeting to resolve the issue. The Speaker may also invite different stakeholders in the matter,” leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said in the House. The issue was raised for the second day in the Assembly when Congress member Tara Prasad Bahinipati sought intervention of the Speaker for an immediate solution to the matter by inviting the Daitapatis for a meeting.
BJP member KV Singh Deo asked the Government to accept Puri Govardhanpeeth Shankaracharya Nischalananda Saraswati’s opinion on the issue as final. “There should not be any attempt by the Government to reduce the dignity of the Shankaracharya,” he said.