Culture Ministry withdraws draft heritage bylaws for Sri Jagannath temple at Puri

By Express News Service
BHUBANESWAR: The draft heritage bylaws notification for Sri Jagannath temple at Puri, which generated sharp reactions from the Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and leaders of each BJP and BJD leaders, was withdrawn by the National Monument Authority (NMA) that falls below the Union Culture Ministry on Monday.

The Chief Minister visited Sri Jagannath temple for the primary time after the outbreak of coronavirus and stated nobody can cease the work of Lord Jagannath. “I prayed to the Lord for peace and prosperity during the time of Covid pandemic. I thank the people of Puri who have sacrificed their lands for development of Srimandir. The sacrifices will not go to waste. Nobody can stop the work of Lord Jagannath. The Central Government should withdraw the draft heritage bylaws,” he stated whereas interacting with media exterior the temple.

Earlier within the day, the delegations of BJP and BJD leaders met the Union Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel individually within the day following which, the Minister knowledgeable them that the draft notification has been withdrawn and any additional work on will probably be performed after consultations with all stakeholders. “The notification on heritage bylaws was released without the information of the NMA Chairman and it is withdrawn with immediate effect,” Patel tweeted.

The BJP MPs from Odisha of their illustration to the Union Minister stated the Odisha authorities, temple authorities of Sri Jagannath temple, Ananta Vasudev and Brahmeswar temples have sure real considerations that have to be addressed earlier than such bylaws are finalised. 

The stated draft bylaws could have an unlimited bearing on the affairs and administration of those shrines in addition to drastically have an effect on the day-to-day lives of hundreds of sevayats and monks of the temples and monks visiting them, they stated. 

Stating that the areas more likely to be affected by these draft bylaws embrace sahis (habitations) of sevayat households who’ve been performing niti-kanti (rituals) on the temples for hundreds of years, they demanded the Union Minister’s private intervention in directing the NMA to withdraw the draft bylaws and put them on maintain until a consensus is reached among the many stakeholders which embrace Odisha Government, temple administration committees, servitors and public representatives in addition to members of civil society.