Odisha govt must not spread false news on Ratnabhandara opening date: Niranjan

July 16, 2024 Politics

Bhubaneswar: Senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik has welcomed the recent opening of the Shri Mandir’s Bhitara (inner) Ratnabhandara but has raised important questions regarding the timeline of the event.

Addressing the issue, Patnaik highlighted discrepancies in the widely reported claim that the Ratnabhandara was opened after 46 years.

According to records obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Ratnabhandara was last opened on July 14, 1985, during the tenure of Chief Minister Shri Janaki Ballabh Patnaik under the Congress government. Given this, Niranjan Patnaik questioned the veracity of recent reports suggesting a 46-year gap since the last opening.

Patnaik emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the whereabouts of the Ratnabhandara keys, which were presumably last used in 1985. He called on the current Odisha government, led by Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, to address this issue transparently.

“The Bhitara Ratnabhandara was opened in 1985. The question is, where is that key?” asked Patnaik. He urged the government to investigate and disclose the location of the key as recorded in the government registrar during that period.

Patnaik also reminded the public of a judicial commission formed on June 6, 2018, under former Odisha High Court justice Raghubir Das, to investigate the loss of the key. Despite the commission submitting its report on November 29, 2018, the findings were never made public.

In light of these concerns, Patnaik urged Chief Minister Majhi to release the commission report immediately to ensure transparency and maintain the trust of Jagannath devotees across the state. He cautioned against the spread of false information regarding the Ratnabhandara’s history.

“As Jagannath devotees, we deserve the truth. Let us not spread false news that the Bhitara Ratnabhandara has been opened after 46 years. The government must refrain from such misinformation and act responsibly,” said Patnaik.