The Srimandir in Odisha’s Puri is once again in the news for wrong reasons,when ‘Ratna Bhandar’ controversy is yet to be settled
The First Lady Of India, Savita Kovind, wife of President Ramnath Kovind, was ‘inappropriately touched’ by some servitors reportedly during their visit to Puri Jagannath Temple in March. The three ‘accused’ servitors are likely to be slapped a notice soon.
As per reports, during the visit of the first citizen of the nation and his wife to the temple on March 18, some servitors allegedly nudged the two while both were having darshan of the deities.
After expression of utter discontentment by Rashtrapati Bhawan, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and the district administration has braced up to take up the matter seriously and bring the ‘accused’ servitors to justice.
This apart, a Khuntia Mekap servitor allegedly did not make room for the President while he was offering prayers in the sanctum sanctorum, reports added.
There was a meeting held by the Chhatisha Nijog a couple of days back, after which there was a report released by the managing committee, which stated that the President and his wife were not given space to reach to the altar of the Lord and some servitors deliberately brushed their bodies with that of the President and his wife, which was not acceptable.
Worth mentioning, the Supreme Court, hearing a petition filed by Mrinalini Padhi highlighting difficulties faced by devotees at the temple and their harassment or exploitation by servitors, had recently directed the Odisha Government to take adequate measures to prevent such incidents.
