Phulbani (Kandhamal): Prime Minister Narendra Modi lambasted the BJD Government in Odisha over the missing key of Puri Srimandir's Ratna Bhandar.

Raising the issue at a public meeting during his election campaign in Kandhamal district of Odisha today, Modi asked, ""Where is the missing key of the Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar where uncounted valuables belonging to Lord Jagannath are stored."

He said that rules were framed 70 years ago for the Jagannath Temple in Puri. As per the rules, the assets belonging to the Jagannath Temple will have a record with the Government. Accordingly, the assets were calculated, and details were recorded by the state government. The assets were last calculated 45 years ago. The quantity of ornaments belonging to Lord Jagannath was so large that the officials engaged in the calculation failed to have an exact record. As per the Govt record, the Ratna Bhandar of the Jagannath Temple has not been opened in the last 40 years.

"As per the state government's statement, the key of Ratna Bhandar has been missing for the past six years. People of Odisha have the right to know details about the valuables stored inside the Ratna Bhandar. The BJD government further claimed that it was able to find a duplicate key to the temple's treasury. How did the duplicate key come? Has anyone access to Ratna Bhandar's treasure with this duplicate? This duplicate key raises some sort of crookery practised by someone. A commission was formed to probe into the missing key, but the government is yet to make the report public," Modi alleged.

He promised that his party BJP will reopen the Ratna Bhandar with transparency if the party is voted to power in Odisha this time.

"This is Modi's guarantee that Ratna Bhandar of Puri Jagannath Temple will be opened, and all records will be maintained in a transparent manner," he said.

publive-image

He targeted the BJD government for not implementing welfare schemes like Ayushman Bharat Yojana in Odisha and depriving poor people of the state of availing the health insurance benefits from the Centre.

Launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, he described him as 'incompetent' in addressing people's core issues.

He challenged Patnaik to name all 30 districts of Odisha without seeing any paper.

"I challenge Naveen Babu to name all districts and their headquarters without papers. The CM, who does not know the number of districts, cannot pronounce the names in Odia, how can he understand your problems?" Modi asked appealing to people to give the BJP a chance to serve the state once.

"Give us one chance to serve your state and help us to reach our 400+ mission at the Centre. I promise to bring inclusive development in Odisha in next five years," he said.

PM Modi is on 2-day visit to Odisha to hit the campaign trail since yesterday for the ensuing twin elections in the state. This is his second visit to the state in a week.

Yesterday, PM Modi held a mega roadshow from BJP's state headquarters to Vani Vihar in Bhubaneswar after arriving in the city at night. After a night halt at Raj Bhawan, he headed for Kandhamal to address a public meeting in the morning today. He is scheduled to attend two more public meetings in Bargarh and Balangir districts today.