NMA Bylaws Authority Tussle: BJD Leader Manas Mangaraj Accuses BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi Of Spreading Falsehood

Bhubaneswar: The BJD-BJP tussle over who is the notified competent authority for the heritage bylaws announced by the NMA for two temples in Ekamra Kshetra of the city continued on Wednesday with general secretary (Media Affairs) of the ruling party Manas Mangaraj accusing BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi of spreading falsehood.

“I am not an IAS officer like Aparajita Sarangi. I may not have done such extensive research like her, but I know that anyone can understand in 5 minutes that Regional Director ASI, Kolkata is the competent authority for drafting of Heritage bylaws as per Section-20 E of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMSAR Act),” said Mangaraj in a press release.

Expressing shock over misrepresentation of his statement and sheer falsehood by
Sarangi, he said he had specifically mentioned that the Regional Director, ASI, Kolkata is the competent authority for drafting the heritage bylaws and not Director, Culture.

“It is the Regional Director, ASI, Kolkata, who has sent the proposal for heritage
bylaws of Odisha temples,” Mangaraj said.

“As Sarangi does not understand Odia culture, may be it’s difficult for her to appreciate the sensitivity involved in a religious issue that links living deities with sevayats and devotees. Union Minister Pratap Sarangi who is from Odisha is able to
understand these sensitivities in a better way,” he said.

Managaraj further said it is better Sarangi read the AMSAR Act and know who is the competent authority for drafting heritage bylaws as per Section- 20 E of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMSAR Act) which will affect the Ekamra Kshetra?

On Mangaraj’s statement that the competent authority as notified in the bylaws is regional director, ASI, the Bhubaneswar MP on Tuesday tweeted: “Am appalled at the ignorance and immaturity of state govt.”