Odisha Elections 2024: Ratna Bhandar Of Puri Jagannath Temple To Be Opened During Rath Yatra, Says BJD

Bhubaneswar: Coming under attack by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on missing keys of Ratna Bhandar of Jagannath temple in Puri, the BJD said the strong room would be opened during Rath Yatra this year.

Speaking to media persons on Monday, BJD spokesperson Sulata Deo said the BJP is staring at sure defeat in the twin elections of Lok Sabha and Assembly in the state. The leaders and workers of the saffron party feel frustrated by imminent loss.

“In order to encourage their leaders and workers, senior leaders of BJP have been campaigning in favour of the party’s candidates in the state. These leaders including the Prime Minister have been issuing different comments in order to boost the confidence of state leaders,” she said.

“The Prime Minister probably does not know that the Jagannath temple administration will open the Ratna Bhandar during Rath year in July. There is nothing to hide here. The committee, headed by a former judge of the Supreme Court, is engaged in the process of opening the Ratna Bhandar,” she said.

Earlier in the day, speaking at an election meeting in Cuttack, the Prime Minister said the whole of Odisha was angry with what is happening with Ratna Bhandar. “People are saying that the ‘missing’ keys of Ratna Bhandar are in Tamil Nadu. Who has sent the keys to Tamil Nadu? Why has the BJD suppressed the report of the commission of inquiry into the missing keys of Ratna Bhandar?,” he asked.

He also assured that once the BJP government comes to power in the state, the entire truth will come out and the report will be made public. “Our service to Lord Jagannath will begin from this work and this is Modi’s guarantee,” he said in an indirect attack on chief minister Naveen Patnaik close aide VK Pandian, who is a Tamilian.