BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi renews attack on Odisha government

BHUBANESWAR: Bhubaneswar MP and national spokesperson of the BJP Aparajita Sarangi on Saturday renewed her attack on the State government over the Srimandir Parikrama project a day after the Supreme Court rejected two PILs against construction work around the Jagannath Temple by questioning the reason behind the petitioners approaching the apex court.

"The movement on 'Srimandir Banchao' was clearly based on safety and security of our beloved deity Lord Jagannath's temple. The matter was being examined in detail by the Orissa High Court. At this stage, why the petitioners approached the Supreme Court is not very clear to me," Sarangi told mediapersons here.

Sarangi also demanded that the names of all the beneficiaries who received compensation of Rs 700 crore as admitted by the State government should be put up in public domain as it is hard earned money of people of Odisha. "How the calculation of the compensation was made should be also be made public," she said.

She said the July 3 judgement of the Supreme Court is a victory for those concerned with the safety and security of the Temple and clearly defines the boundary within which the State government will have to undertake the project.

Stating that the judgement has clearly exposed the lie of the State government that it was not violating the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958, she said the government has admitted before the High Court and the Supreme Court that they are moving the reception centre beyond the 100 metres prohibited area.

The reception centre was designed as a 14-mtr-tall building and would have clearly affected the safety and security of the temple, she added.