Srimandir Parikrama project: Beautification work fine but must follow norms, says Dharmendra Pradhan

BHUBANESWAR/ANGUL: Breaking his silence on the Srimandir Parikrama project, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said that nobody has any objection to the beautification work undertaken by the State government around the Jagannath Temple, but the works should be undertaken within the confines of the law.

Stating that recent news surrounding the project is a matter of concern, the Union Minister said that modernisation work under the Jagannath heritage corridor project should not be taken up by ignoring the cultural heritage of the area.

Heritage and tradition have a special importance in Odisha, which is a land of culture, he said and added that the State government should abide by the regulations of the Centre in this regard. The Union Minister said that idols and other artefacts dating back to ancient times are being found around the Jagannath temple and the State government should not ignore this.

Pradhan said that as a devotee of Lord Jagannath and follower of Odia culture, he expects that the beautification work near the Jagannath temple should be implemented according to the prevailing legal provisions.

The statement of Pradhan on the project has come amid growing differences among the BJP leaders over the project.

Bhubaneswar BJP MP Aparajita Mohanty and national spokesperson of the party Sambit Patra have targeted the State government by describing the project as illegal, but BJP MLA from Puri Jayant Kumar Sarangi wants the project to be completed soon.

Meanwhile, the Minister arrived at Kaniha on Friday and on Saturday morning interacted with people of Kaniha to take stock of their problems.

Before leaving for his native village, he paid tribute to the Prajamandal warriors at Kaniha. At his village, he offered prayers to Lord Nrusingha Dev along with his family members.Pradhan is likely to visit Parjang area on Sunday.