Adapa Mandap Bije Mishap: BJD, Congress target Odisha government; BJP responds

Even as a three-member Committee has been formed to probe the reason behind the mishap involving Lord Balabhadra during ‘Adapa Mandap Bije’ pahandi rituals, politics is now active over the incident with both the BJD and Congress targeting the BJP-led Odisha government.

Bhubaneswar Mayor and BJD leader, Sulochana Das said, “Not only 4.5 crore Odias, the sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees have been hurt by the incident. What is more surprising are the statements given by the Deputy CM and Law Minister. We urge that the Odisha government to ensure smooth conduct of the Rath Yatra festival till Niladri Bije.”

In his reaction, Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said, “The party which came to power for Lord Jagannath, the same BJP is unable to protect the Lord. Odisha CM sent deputy CMs and Law Minister, but he personally could not visit Puri.”

Bahinipati asked who was entitled to go to the chariots? Devotees are coming for the darshan of deities. The Daitapatis need to be present on the chariot. But there were others who were present on the chariot, he said. “For the CM and BJP, it is a minor thing. But it is not a small thing for the devotees,” the Congress legislator added.

Responding to the BJD’s allegations, state BJP vice-president Biranchi Tripathy said, “BJD has no right to say as we all have seen the Brahma Parivartan fiasco. The party, which destroyed several 1000-year-old religious mutts and the Raghunandan Library, was involved in several irregularities.”

Tripathy further asked the Bhubaneswar Mayor to discharge her duties first and then make such statements.