Oppn flays BJP over untimely Rath Yatra in Delhi

Bhubaneswar: The Opposition BJD and the Odisha unit of the Congress have criticised the BJP and demanded an apology from Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta over organising an “untimely” Rath Yatra in the national capital two days ago.

Gupta joined thousands of devotees in the grand celebration of the Rath Yatra at Kamla Nagar in Delhi on Sunday, deviating from the normal practice at the Jagannath temple in Puri, where it would be held on June 27 this year.

Addressing mediapersons here on Monday, State Congress president Bhakta Charan Das said, “The Delhi Chief Minister should apologise before the people of Odisha for organising the untimely Rath Yatra.”

The BJP should seek an explanation from the Chief Minister and issue a clarification to the people of Odisha on this matter, he said.

Accusing the BJP of insulting Lord Jagannath and his devotees, the Congress leader asked, “Is the BJP’s devotion to Lord Jagannath real or drama?” The Congress leader said the titular king of Puri, Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, did not like it when ISKCON planned to organise Rath Yatra in Houston, USA, in November last year.

Faced with stiff opposition from the devotees of Lord Jagannath, ISKCON cancelled the event.

Senior BJD leader Goutam Buddha Das also criticised the BJP for the “untimely” Rath Yatra held in Delhi.

“They (BJP) came to power taking the name of Lord Jagannath. But now, they have organised an untimely Rath Yatra in Delhi and the Chief Minister inaugurated it,” he said.

Accusing the BJP of playing with the sentiments of crores of Jagannath devotees, he asked, “Why is the State BJP leadership not condemning the incident? Why are they not cautioning the Delhi CM?” “When West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee named a temple Jagannath Dham (in Digha), the BJP leaders strongly objected.

Now they are showing double standards,” the BJD leader said.

Responding to the issue, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said, “Such an event had never been witnessed in New Delhi before. All major Jagannath temples in Delhi conduct the annual festival as per tradition and schedule fixed by the Puri Jagannath temple.”

Whenever holding of an untimely Rath Yatra comes to the notice of the Odisha government, immediate steps are taken to stop that, he said.

Such programmes were stopped in Odisha’s Nuapada district, and even in foreign countries, Harichandan said. “If someone continues to organise the Rath Yatra untimely even after the request from the government, legal action will be taken,” Harichandan added.