Govt move to replace Ratna Bhandar panel triggers row

Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the inventory of Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of Puri Jagannath Temple, the BJD and BJP were engaged in a verbal spat after the Mohan Majhi govt replaced the panel set up by the previous govt to supervise the audit of valuables.
The state govt dissolved the 12-member committee, which was headed by retired Supreme Court judge Arijit Pasayat, on Thursday night, a day before it was scheduled to hold a meeting.The govt constituted a new committee headed by Biswanath Rath, a retired judge of the Orissa high court.
The newly-constituted committee is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Saturday and likely to finalise the treasury’s inventory schedule.
The opening of the Ratna Bhandar, whose inventory was last conducted in 1978, and disclosure of an inquiry report into its missing keys were major poll promises of the BJP.
“The govt’s intention does not look nice. Arijit Pasayat, who belonged to Odisha, is a renowned personality. The govt should not have disbanded the Pasayat-led committee,” BJD MLA and opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik said.
BJD alleged that the BJP govt is misleading people on the Ratna Bhandar issue. “Our govt in August last year had announced that the Ratna Bhandar would be opened during Rath Yatra 2024 for inventory of items and repair of the structure. On February 29, the 12-member committee-led by Arijit Pasayat was formed to supervise the process. To politicise the issue, BJP govt dissolved the old committee,” another BJD leader said.
The Congress also criticised the govt action. “The govt insulted Arijit Pasayat, who was scheduled to hold a meeting on Friday. BJP played cheap politics,” senior Congress leader and former chief secretary Bijay Patnaik said.
BJP hit back at the opposition. “The previous BJD govt failed to open Ratna Bhandar in the last 24 years. It is shameful to see the opposition questioning the govt’s intent. Ratna Bhandar is connected to the sentiment of devotees. Our govt is committed to unravel the mystery,” law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said.