Puri (Odisha): Shankaracharya of Puri Nischalananda Saraswati on Wednesday sought the protection of Puri's heritage site. In the garb of giving a face-lift to the site, its originality should not be disturbed. The Puri seer also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to ensure the protection of the heritage site.
Puri seer Nischalananda Saraswati's video message was released a day after when a delegation from the Odisha government led by Dibyasingha Deb, the former ruler of Puri, other leaders, and cultural activists had met him. Besides, on May 23, the Shankaracharya had also released a similar video expressing concern over the alleged damage to the 12th-century Shrine in the name of development.
The prime minister and chief minister should pay attention to the fact that the Puri is being exploited in the name of development. Mutts are being demolished to facilitate the widening of roads. This was not appropriate. The administration should stop implementing such plans immediately, the statement said.
Ruling BJD spokesperson, Lenin Mohanty, in an apparent bid to counter the statement, said, the Srimandir Parikrama Project was prepared after the recommendation of the Srimandir Managing Committee. "The National Monument Authority (NMA) gave its nod and the proposed revamping plan was passed by the Odisha assembly," he said.
Referring to the ruling BJD, which has been ruling the state for over two decades in Odisha, the Shankaracharya said, the administration should not think of itself as all-powerful because the public mandate may change at any time. "Odisha people have trust in this government ... But people's opinion may change," the seer cautioned without taking BJD's name. Puri should not be made a center of 'sura-sundari', the seer said adding that the sea beach, which is the place of meditation has already become a place for sura-sundari (wine and women).
He also warned that people who are tarnishing the image of the Puri Dham and attack on its spiritual ideal may invite trouble for the entire state. Immediately after the Shankaracharya's statement, the opposition BJP and Congress rallied against the government and demanded an immediate halt to the ongoing corridor project work. Odisha unit of BJP termed the corridor project work as illegal as permission from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has not been taken and demanded suspension of all works.
