Ratna Bhandar: ASI’s flip flop on Ratna Bhandar opening irks govt | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: As mystery and controversy shrouded the Jagannath temple’s Ratna Bhandar (treasury), a flip-flop by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on the schedule of its opening has irked the state govt on Wednesday.
Briefing the media after the end of the temple managing committee meeting in Puri on Wednesday, ASI’s superintending archaeologist (Puri circle) D B Garnayak, who is also one of the committee members, said the Ratna Bhandar would be opened on July 8, a day after the Rath Yatra.
The news heightened the curiosity of people, who have been waiting eagerly to know the types and worth of jewels stored in Ratna Bhandar, which was last opened in 1978 for inventory.
Garnayak subsequently retracted his earlier statement.
“I had wrongly stated that the Ratna Bhandar would be opened on July 8. The state govt would finalise the date,” Garnayak said.
Temple’s chief administrator Vir Vikram Yadav denied finalization of any date for the opening of Ratna Bhandar so far. “A 12-member committee formed by the previous govt would recommend the date of opening of Ratna Bhandar. No decision has been taken on the date yet,” Yadav said.
Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan came down heavily on the ASI officer for his comment on the controversial issue, which took the centrestage during BJP’s recent election campaign.
“The govt would finalise the date of Ratna Bhandar’s opening. The ASI officer gave a misleading comment to the media. Strong action will be initiated against him,” Harichandan told journalists.
Briefing the media after the end of the temple managing committee meeting in Puri on Wednesday, ASI’s superintending archaeologist (Puri circle) D B Garnayak, who is also one of the committee members, said the Ratna Bhandar would be opened on July 8, a day after the Rath Yatra.
The news heightened the curiosity of people, who have been waiting eagerly to know the types and worth of jewels stored in Ratna Bhandar, which was last opened in 1978 for inventory.
Garnayak subsequently retracted his earlier statement.
“I had wrongly stated that the Ratna Bhandar would be opened on July 8. The state govt would finalise the date,” Garnayak said.
Temple’s chief administrator Vir Vikram Yadav denied finalization of any date for the opening of Ratna Bhandar so far. “A 12-member committee formed by the previous govt would recommend the date of opening of Ratna Bhandar. No decision has been taken on the date yet,” Yadav said.
Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan came down heavily on the ASI officer for his comment on the controversial issue, which took the centrestage during BJP’s recent election campaign.
“The govt would finalise the date of Ratna Bhandar’s opening. The ASI officer gave a misleading comment to the media. Strong action will be initiated against him,” Harichandan told journalists.
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