Dharmendra Pradhan: BJD Govt Attempted to Halt 2020 Rath Yatra

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan claims Odisha's BJD government sought to cancel Jagannath's Rath Yatra in 2020. He accuses a group around CM Naveen Patnaik of harming Odia pride by opposing temple projects. Pradhan denies opposing Puri Temple Heritage Corridor Project but objects to ancient structure demolitions. BJD's VK Pandian had alleged Pradhan opposed projects. Pradhan questions Patnaik's lack of a party successor and criticizes a bureaucrat "coterie" for damaging Odia identity. BJD's Sanjay Das Burma rejects Pradhan's claims and highlights the government's support for Odia language and culture.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday claimed that the BJD government in Odisha had filed a petition in Supreme Court for the cancellation of Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra in Puri during the COVID pandemic in 2020.

Addressing a press conference here, the BJP leader blamed a ''coterie'' around Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for ''hurting'' Odia 'asmita' (pride).

Pradhan's statement came after Patnaik's close aide and senior BJD leader VK Pandian accused the Union minister and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi of opposing the Sri Mandir Parikrama and Ekamra Khetra projects.

''Who had hatched the conspiracy to stop Rath Yatra in 2020? If the CM has morality, he should clarify it. The BJD government seems to have a complete monopoly over the shrine and I will not be surprised if a notice is issued barring me from entering it,'' Pradhan said.

Asserting that he was not against the Puri Temple Heritage Corridor Project, Pradhan said he had donated Rs 1 lakh from his salary for the development of the 12th century shrine.

The BJP government at the Centre had also provided Rs 50 crore to the state for the Nabakalebara festival in 2015, he said.

Dismissing allegations that he had attempted to stall the Srimandir Parikrama Project, Pradhan, however, said he had only objected to demolition of several ancient mutt structures.

''That cannot be termed as stalling the project,'' he asserted.

Referring to Pandian's recent statement in an interview to PTI where the BJD leader claimed that he was the ''natural successor to Naveen Patnaik's great values'', Pradhan came down heavily on the chief minister and his party.

''Who will lead Odisha? You (Naveen Patnaik) are the leader of a regional party. Yet you could not find anybody from your party to lead it? Is there nobody among the 4.5 crore Odias to succeed you? A coterie of bureaucrats has been formed to damage the Odia asmita and dignity but Odia people will not tolerate the aggressors,'' Pradhan said.

Senior BJD leader and former minister Sanjay Das Burma rejected Pradhan's allegation and said that the Union minister did not attend the inauguration of the heritage corridor project, which shows his attitude towards it.

Das Burma asserted that BJD government has done a lot for the uplift of Odia language, culture and tradition.

''The state's name was changed from Orissa to Odisha during Naveen Patnaik's tenure,'' he pointed out, stating that Odia 'asmita' is now being evoked by the BJP during elections to mislead the people.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)