The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has voiced serious concerns regarding the security of the jewellery and valuables stored in Lord Jagannath temple’s Ratna Bhandar (treasury) in Puri, alleging that the Odisha government is deliberately misleading the public in the name of religion.
The BJD specifically highlighted the significant delay in conducting an inventory of the valuables, even though they were shifted back to the Ratna Bhandar on September 23 after its repair.
The items from both the inner and outer chambers of the treasury had earlier been moved to temporary strong rooms when the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) opened the inner chamber for repairs in July 2024, an event that had not occurred in 46 years.
BJD MP Subhashish Khuntia, who hails from Puri town, at a press conference on Monday, alleged the BJP government’s intentions were “doubtful” due to the continued stalling of the inventory of the Ratna Bhandar.
Khuntia recalled the public that the BJP’s 2024 manifesto had explicitly promised a comprehensive inventory of the treasury’s valuables, and he accused the state administration of intentionally obstructing the process.
He claimed the administration “delayed the conduct of the inventory with evil intentions” and demanded that the government publicly release all details of the treasury’s contents immediately.
Khuntia issued a stark warning, stating that “any further delay in the inventory of Ratna Bhandar will indicate that valuables have been looted from the temple treasury and the BJP government will be answerable to the people.”
The BJD MP further alleged that the central government had intentionally delayed granting ASI permission for the repairs under the former BJD regime. He noted that the BJD had established a committee led by retired Supreme Court Justice Arijit Pasayat to oversee the process.
“But after the BJP came to power, a new committee was set up under a retired High Court judge, replacing Justice Pasayat,” the parliamentarian alleged.
ଶ୍ରୀମନ୍ଦିର ରତ୍ନଭଣ୍ଡାରକୁ ନେଇ ରାଜ୍ୟ ସରକାରଙ୍କ ଉଦ୍ଦେଶ୍ୟ ଠିକ ନାହିଁ।
ନିର୍ବାଚନ ସମୟରେ ରତ୍ନଭଣ୍ଡାର ଗଣତି ମଣତି ନେଇ ବିଜେପି ଦେଇଥିବା ପ୍ରତିଶ୍ରୁତି କୁଆଡ଼େ ଗଲା?
ଗଣତି ମଣତି ନେଇ ସରକାର ଲୋକଙ୍କୁ ଭୁଆଁ ବୁଲାଉଛନ୍ତି।
ରତ୍ନଭଣ୍ଡାର ସ୍ଥାନାନ୍ତରଣ ପ୍ରକ୍ରିୟା ଏବେ ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ ଘେରରେ।#ମିଛପ୍ରତିଶ୍ରୁତି #ହଟାଅବିଜେପି… pic.twitter.com/dSmFgJp2N0
— Biju Janata Dal (@bjd_odisha) October 13, 2025
Despite the opposition’s allegations, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan had previously stated, immediately after the valuables were returned to the Ratna Bhandar, that the inventory would be done in the presence of experts from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
He further said that the RBI has already provided the names of its experts, and the inventory will proceed according to the state government’s guidelines.
