Not aware of Ratna Bhandar key status, says Odisha Law Minister; BJP terms it unfortunate 

Amid the ongoing furore over the issue of missing key of the Srimandir’s Ratna Bhadar, Odisha Law Minister Jagannath Saraka on Saturday said they don’t know whether the Ratna Bhandar key has gone missing or not. The Bharatiya Janata Party termed the Law Minister’s statement as unfortunate. 

While replying to the queries of journalists, Law Minister Saraka said, “We don’t know whether the key has gone missing or not. The case is sub-judice before the Orissa High Court. On the basis of the High Court’s direction, the government will take appropriate steps.”

Taking exception to the Law Minister’s statement, the BJP said the government is a headless one. 

“From such a statement (of The Law Minister), people can very well figure out how the government is functioning. It is no exaggeration to say that the government is a headless government. The Law minister’s statement could not be more unfortunate.  On the basis of the High Court’s order, they had gone to open the Ratna Bhandar. But they stepped back. They know better why they didn’t open. The government has also set up a special commission-Raghubir Das Commission on the Ratna Bhandar issue. But the commission was established to negate the public demand,” said senior BJP leader, Samir Mohanty.