Opposition Targets Odisha Govt Over Lord Jagannath’s Ratna Bhandar; Seeks Steps To Publish Probe Panel Report

Bhubaneswar: Stepping up the attack on Odisha’s BJD government over missing key of Lord Jagannath’s Ratna Bhandar, opposition BJP and Congress on Thursday demanding immediate steps to make public the report of Justice Raghubir Das Commission of Inquiry which probed the episode.

Addressing a press meet in Bhubaneswar, senior BJP leader Pitambar Acharya said the state government has claimed that a duplicate key of Ratna Bhandar of Puri Jagannath Temple.

However, people have serious doubts about the claims being made by the government for the last five years, he said, adding that the state government must give a clarification on the issue.

The BJP leader also sought to know as to why the government is reluctant to open the Ratna Bhandar if it has a duplicate key. Let the government take steps for opening the Ratna Bhandar for an assessment of its condition, he said.

The Archaelogical Survey of India (ASI) had in its affidavit to the court mentioned that there is a threat to Ratna Bhandar and urgent repair work is required, Acharya said.

Stating that people are  suspecting loot of valuables from Ratna Bhandar, the BJP leader said if Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is a true devotee of Lord Jagannath, he must clarify what steps he has taken so far to safeguard the property of the sibling deities at the 12^th century shrine in Puri.

Attacking the state government in same vein, Odisha Congress Campaign Committee chairman Bijay Patnaik raised questions over the status of valuables inside the Ratna Bhandar.

Stating that it is the responsibility of the government to make the Commission of Inquiry report public, he said the first principle of the 5T initiative is transparency.

If the government really believes in transparency then the report should be made public without further delay, Patnaik said.

Refuting the opposition allegation as baseless, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty claimed that fabricated stories about Ratna Bhandar are being circulated by BJP to mislead people.