The State unit of the Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Tuesday requested the devotees to cooperate with the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration for smooth conduct the upcoming Snan Yatra and Rath Yatra of Shreemandir deities.
Addressing a Press conference, VHP leaders slammed temple servitors for fleecing money from devotees and allowing them to climb atop chariots, making a topic of discussion in the country and outside.
Stating that the Puri Shankaracharay had been visiting the chariots with the disciples, they lamented that the temple administration insulted the seer in 2014 by not allowing his disciples from accompanying him to the chariots on demands of some priests. The Shankaracharya was forced to boycott his age-old ritual on chariots.
The seer resumed the ritual in 2015 Rath Yatra after the temple administration tendered an apology following massive public outcry, they said.
The VHP, Odisha Intellectual Forum, Aadi Shankar Vedanta Pratisthanam, Shree Jagannath Suraksha Samiti and Arya Samaj Odisha had expressed exasperation for this.
The VHP demanded that the administration take action against these unscrupulous elements and keep the dignity of the Shankaracharya of Gobardhan Pitha.
A few unruly servitors are tarnishing the image of the Chattisha Nijog (associations of priests), said VHP working president Dr Badrinath Patnaik.
He requested devotees to cooperate with the administration and not to post fake things about Shankaracharya in social media.
Among others, Arya Kumar Jnanendra, Dr Bimalendu Mohanty Narendra Kumar Mishra, Dr Prafulla Rath, Gyanaranjan Behera and Batakrushna Tripathy were present.