Srimandir servitors meet Odisha CM over temple reforms suggested by SC

Bhubaneswar: A group of servitors of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri today met Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at his residence here over suggestions made by the Supreme Court for reformation of the temple.

A 22-member delegation of Chhatisa Nijog Sevayats met the CM at Naveen Nivas in the presence of Puri MP Pinaki Mishra and Puri MLA Maheshwar Mohanty.

“The centuries-old hereditary system of worship at the Srimandir hasn’t been properly communicated to the court. The three-member committee constituted by the Odisha Government needs to be apprised about the system so that it could furnish a proper report in the court,” Mishra said speaking to reporters after the meeting.

“The opinion of Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb and other concerned persons should be taken into account and a report in this regard be submitted in Supreme Court,” he opined.

“The next hearing in the court is scheduled to be held on September 5. In the meantime, the servitors can keep their views before amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium, who will visit Puri,” the MP added.

On the other hand, President of Singhari Nijog, Ramchandra Singhari, speaking to reporters over the suggestion made by the court for consideration of ‘permitting every visitor irrespective of his faith to offer respects and to make offerings to deities’ in the temple, said that it is a “mass issue” and further discussion in this regard shouldn’t be done as it will only complicate the issue.

“We urged the Chief Minister to keep the tradition and culture of the temple intact. We will present our stand in the Supreme Court,” Singhari said.

Also Read

Comments are closed.