TV
The political climate in Odisha is heating up with the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress continuing their attacks on the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) over Law Minister Jagannath Saraka’s statement over the ongoing Ratna Bhandar key issue.
Expressing his concern, senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra on Sunday said, “Yesterday, the Law Minister said that they don’t know whether the Ratna Bhandar key has gone missing or not. But on the strength of the Orissa High Court’s direction, a committee led by the then SJTA Chief Administrator Pradeep Jena, who is the present Chief Secretary, went to open the Ratna Bhandar. But they were returned and told before the media that the key was missing.”
“Some days later, the district Collector said that a duplicate key had been found. The state government has also formed a commission in this regard. The whole state knows about it. But the statement of the Law Minister has left the people puzzled. It has further deepened the mystery. I think, the Minister may not have been briefed by the Law department or hasn’t tried to know the current status or he is trying to hide something,” he added.
At the same time, Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati too took a swipe at the Law Minister saying, “If the law Minister is saying that they don’t know anything about the Ratna Bhandar key, it is unfortunate.”
“Condemning his statement strongly, I would like to say that the Law Minister should either change his statement or resign,” the Jeypore MLA said. He also expressed his doubt that the ornaments from the Ratna Bhandar might have gone out of state.
In this regard, Puri MP Pinaki Mishra said, “The matter is sub judice. So I don’t want to say anything about it. Steps will be taken as per the direction of the court.”
Meanwhile, the servitors too demanded for the opening of the Ratna Bhandar.
“We demand that the government open the Ratna Bhandar soon. It should be repaired. And ‘bhog’ should be offered to the deities on the gold and silver plates kept in the Ratna Bhandar,” said senior servitor Binayak Das Mohapatra.
Another senior servitor Gourahari Pradhan too repeated the same demand. “The Ratna Bhandar should be opened and with the new ornaments, the discontinued Raghunath Besha should be started,” Pradhan demanded.
