Bhubaneswar: The controversy over Puri Jagannath Temple video, featuring social media influencer and Curly Tales founder Kamiya Jani and bureaucrat-turned-BJD leader VK Pandian, continued to rage on Friday with the BJP and BJD engaging in blame game on social media.
Taking to X, BJD MP Manas Mangaraj questioned Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the ‘unnecessary’ hullabaloo. He stated that Jani was appointed by the BJP government to make films on Hindu heritage and temples. “ She has gone to Char Dham and Ayodhya Ram Temple to see Ram Lalla too. And all of you love her for it and posted in your social medias. (sic).”
He also attached screenshots of some clips shared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Dharmendra himself.
“Now Dharmendra Bhai, please tell us what is your issue with her now. Or it’s simply intolerance to the huge work completion for Sri Mandir that you are unable to bear? Why are you making fake news and trying to insult people’s intelligence? Why do you want to put down Odisha and people of Odisha by your consistent lies and falsehood? This is really shameful that you yourself liked and promoted here posts on Hindu temples and now for Sri mandir you have a problem,” he further wrote.
On Thursday, the BJP had questioned how Jani, whom it accused of promoting beef consumption, was granted access to the revered shrine in Puri. The party also accused her of violating temple rules by carrying video camera inside the temple premises. It also sought action against Pandian for hurting religious sentiments of crores of Hindus across the globe by facilitating her visit and making arrangement for her to partake Mahaprasad inside the temple.
While clarifying that Jani had taken ‘Mahaprasad’ at Radha Ballav ‘Mutt’ and not inside the temple premises, the BJD had accused the saffron party of being intolerant to the development of the temple.
The SJTA had also refuted the videography allegation. “The allegation made by a certain political party about YouTube influencer taking a camera to the temple premises is completely baseless. There is no truth in this. If anyone has any evidence, if they present it, it will be investigated and necessary action will be taken,” it posted on X.
Reacting to this tweet, Odisha BJP vice president Lekha Samantsinghar questioned as to why the SJTA issued no clarification over the beef dispute, about them having ‘Mahaprasad’ inside the temple and the ongoings at 4 am.
Jani also defended her Jagannath Temple visit in an Instagram story. “As an Indian, my mission is to take Indian culture and heritage to the world. I have been visiting all the Jyotirlingas and char dhams of India and what a privilege it’s been. Woke up to this strange article in the newspaper questioning my visit to Jagannath temple. Not that anyone has reached out to me but just here to clarify that I don’t and have never eaten Beef. Jai Jagannath.”
