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'No proposal to open Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar'

Bhubaneswar, Nov 26

The Odisha government has no proposal to open the Ratna Bhandar (treasure room) of the Jagannath temple in Puri and inspect the valuables stored there, the state Assembly was told on Tuesday.

Replying to a question of Congress' Suresh Routray, Law Minister Pratap Jena assured the house that the precious jewellery and ornaments, as per the inventory prepared between May 13, 1978, and July 23, 1978, are safe and secured.

He said Ratna Bhandar (treasure trove) was last opened in July 14, 1985.

As many as 454 gold and other articles were present in the Ratna Bhandar. Besides, 236 silver jewellery along with other valuables were found in it, he added.

However, eight gold idols, six silver utensils and idols could not be weighed due to different reasons, Jena said.

The opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have demanded the temple treasury be opened and an audit of the ornaments be conducted.

"Jagannath devotees have the right to know about the details of jewellery stored in the Ratna Bhandar. It should be opened in presence of a sitting judge of the Orissa High Court, Chief Secretary, the DGP, Puri District Collector and five servitors of the temple," Routray told media persons.

BJP MLA Bishnu Sethi said the state government is afraid that people will know the reality about the temple treasury.

"After 'Brahma Paribartan' fiasco and missing of the Ratna Bhandar keys, now the state government has decided not to audit or open the treasure trove of Lord Jagannath because it fears of getting exposed," he alleged.