Puri Eviction Drive: Demolition Of Bada Akhada Mutt Put On Hold

Puri: The district administration on Tuesday decided to put the demolition of Bada Akhada Mutt on hold.

Talking to the media, deputy collector, Puri, Binay Kumar Das said the demolition of the mutt has been put on hold as the talks with the mutt chief (Mahant) and several saints remained inconclusive.

Speaking to the media, the Mahant of Bada, Harinarayan Das, had alleged that the district administration was putting pressure on him to sign a document mentioning that the mutt’s structure was unsafe. “Neither the Endowment Commissioner nor the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has marked the mutt as unsafe,” he added.

The Mahant further said he would take up the matter with the Shankaracharya of the Gobardhan Peeth, Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, at a meeting in the evening.

Meanwhile, several saints of the Naga community from the neighbouring states have arrived here to protest against the decision of the state government to demolish the mutt.

Senior Congress leader Suresh Routray, who had visited Bada Akhada mutt earlier in the day, urged the state government not to demolish the remaining mutts and instead make efforts for proper rehabilitation of the displaced residents and business establishments instead of luring them with its package

Bada Akhada Mutt was established in 1352 AD by Guru Gopal Das to protect Jagannath Temple against attacks by the foreign rulers.

The Mahant of Bada Akhada mutt is appointed by an 18-member Naga Akhada (council) during Kumbh Mela.