Panel formed to monitor opening of treasury of Jagannath temple in Puri to meet on Saturday
The last inventory of Ratna Bhandar was taken 46 years ago in 1978
A 16-member committee headed by Orissa High Court judge Justice Biswanath Rath is likely to meet on Saturday for expediting opening of Ratna Bhandar, the treasury of Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri and for taking inventory of jewellery and other valuables stored in it.
As per records, the temple’s Ratna Bhandar has a total of 454 gold articles with a net weight of 12,838 Bharis (128.38 kg) and 293 silver articles weighing 22,153 Bharis (221.53 kg). The last inventory of Ratna Bhandar was taken 46 years ago in 1978.
Opening of Ratna Bhandar was a major poll plank of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the last election during which the party had alleged that the then Naveen Pantaik government sat over the matter. The BJP raised doubts over the safety of jewellery and other valuables in Ratna Bhandar.
The Mohan Charan Majhi government on Thursday constituted the Justice Rath-headed high-level committee to supervise the inventory process in Ratna Bhandar. A similar committee under the chairmanship of former Supreme Court Judge Justice Arijit Pasayat was dissolved by the present government. The Justice Pasayat-headed committee was formed in March this year.
Apart from representatives of the Archaeological Survey of India and Puri’s titular king Gajapati Dibyasingh Deb, former bureaucrats, a famous doctor, sevayats (priests) and notable figures from varied walks of life have been made members of the committee.
The timing of the new committee’s formation raises eyebrows. This announcement coincides with Justice Pasayat’s scheduled visit to Odisha from July 4 to 28, during which he was to oversee the inventory taking of valuables. Justice Pasayat, who also serves as the vice-chairman of the Special Investigating Team on Black Money, had this task on his agenda during his visit.
The opposition Biju Janata Dal has raised concerns over the formation of the new committee, accusing the current government of having ulterior motives. In response, the BJP criticised the BJD, stating it was regrettable that a party which has led the State for 24 years without successfully opening the Ratna Bhandar, is now questioning the government’s actions.
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