Former Puri MP and Samata Kranti Party chief Braja Kishore Tripathy on Wednesday severely criticised the both the Union and State Governments for adopting a dillydallying approach in repairing the Jagamohan of the Shree Jagannath Temple here.
“The devotees of lord Jagannath would never pardon the State or the Union Government which have neglected in repairing the Jagamohan. The Governments have no right to play with the emotion of the devotees,” Tripathy told mediapersons.
“Writing a letter to the Prime Minister is meaningless as the ASI lacks
expertise to conduct repairs to the 12th-Century shrine. The State Government should take back the temple from the ASI and get it repaired by experts soon,” demanded Tripathy.
The ASI did precious little for safekeeping to the temple in four decades since 1974, he alleged. The State Government should take help of the Unesco’s Heritage Conservation Department to repair the Jagamohan. The Unesco has the expertise and technology to repair old monuments, said he.
Among others, former Puri Municipality chairman Surendranath Dash and Sabyasachi Rath were present.