Bhubaneswar: The Odisha BJP has welcomed the State Government’s decision to order a probe by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) into a temple proposed to be built in Puri by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
"Even though the State government acted late, it finally took the right step of ordering a RDC probe into the matter," said senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra. Moreover, The RDC should hold discussions with the priests of Mukti Mandap, Jagannath culture researchers, servitor and Puri citizens and record their views on the matter, he said.
Earlier this week, taking note of the controversy over the proposed construction ofan administrative probe into the matter and submit a report within two months.
It may be noted that the controversy started after Mohaptra told media persons that the ISKCON had already submitted a DPR to the State Government and the PKDA (Puri-Konark Development Authority) for setting up of a Jagannath Temple taller than the Shrimandir.
Following this, the Puri district administration asked ISKCON to stop construction of their proposed Jagannath Temple at Sipasarubali in Puri.
Housing and Urban Development minister Pushpendra Singhdeo has also ordered a probe as to how the proposed temple’s building plan was approved by PKDA in spite of a legal dispute over the ownership of the 30-acre land.
Rattled by the row, Puri collector Arvind Agrawal had issued a show cause notice to Iskcon asking them to submit a report on the issue and directed the organisation to stop construction activity on the site forthwith as per the directive of the State government.
ISKCON, however, has maintained that there was no plan to build a Jagannath Temple in Puri and that the land in question lawfully belongs to it.