Hitting out at the BJD Government in Odisha for the deviation in Lord Jagannath's 'Brahma Paribartan' ritual, BJP today launched a state-wide 'Jagannath Sanskruti Suraksha Yatra' here to demand a judicial probe into the lapses and make people aware of it.
The week-long yatra was flagged off in the presence of state BJP unit president K V Singhdeo, Bijay Mohapatra, Jual Oram, Giridhar Gamang and a host of party stalwarts.
Holding the state government and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik responsible for the "utter chaos and mismanagement" in the ritual, an important part of Lord Jagannath's 'Nabakalebar' festival, Singhdeo said the lapses had hurt the sentiments of lakhs of devotees world-wide.
The yatra, scheduled to conclude on July 6, aims at making the people aware of the mismanagement during the sacred rituals due to inefficiency and inaction on the part of the BJD Government in the state, he said.
Lashing out at Naveen Patnaik for his silence on the issue, which drew widespread outcry, Mohapatra said there should be a thorough judicial inquiry into the "gross mismanagement" in 'Brahma Paribartan'.
The role of the chief minister and state Law minister must be included in the purview of the judicial inquiry, he said addressing the gathering at the launch of the yatra.
Judicial inquiry into the fiasco is essential as the most sacred and secret ritual of 'Brahma Paribartan', which was scheduled to be held the during night on June 15 was performed in day time the next day, he said adding there are also allegations of theft of Brahma (soul).
Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said mismanagement in 'Brahma Paribartan', which has lowered the image of Odisha, must be investigated thoroughly by a judicial commission.
BJP's action programme came close on the heels of a successful state-wide bandh observed on June 26 by Congress in protest against the temple fiasco and to demand a judicial probe into it.
