Servitors seek CM help in campaign against reforms

BHUBANESWAR: Servitors of the Jagannath Temple called on chief minister Naveen Patnaik here on Sunday and sought the state government's support in their campaign against the Supreme Court's proposal to allow people of all faiths to enter the shrine. They also expressed displeasure over Puri judge Ambuja Mohan Das's suggestion to abolish hereditary priesthood, in a report he submitted to the Supreme Court on June 26.
A delegation of 22 servitors, accompanied by Puri MLA and revenue minister Maheswar Mohanty and Puri MP Pinaki Mishra, met Naveen at his residence for around 15 minutes. The discussion centred on the slew of reforms at the temple suggested by the Supreme Court in its interim orders on June 8 and July 5.

"We categorically told the chief minister that the Supreme Court's suggestion to allow people of all faiths to enter the shrine cannot be implemented. There cannot be any debate on the issue. There will be a religious crisis if this tradition is overturned," said Ramachandra Singhari, president of Singhari Nijog, an association of servitors.

Puri MP Mishra said the chief minister had assured the servitors that the temple's traditions would be kept alive. "The chief minister said the request of the sevayats was fair and reasonable and added that the government would provide all help to them," he told the media.

Mishra added that the system of hereditary priesthood was not clearly explained to the Supreme Court. "I hope the amicus curiae in the case, Gopal Subramanium, will soon visit the temple town and listen to all stakeholders, including the servitors," he said, adding that the three-member committee, formed by the state government in adherence to a directive of the Supreme Court to study the management of other shrines in the country, should listen to the grievances of servitors and submit a report to the court. Senior IAS officer and former chief administrator of the Jagannath temple administration, Suresh Mohapatra, heads the committee.

The servitors also drew Naveen's attention to the Puri administration's allegation that some priests had misbehaved with President Ram Nath Kovind and his wife Savita during their visit to the shrine on March 18.

The servitors sought action against collector Aravind Agarwal and the temple's ex-chief administrator P K Jena for levelling 'false' charges against them.