"ASI has no authority to declare Jagannath Temple Ratna Bhandar opening date," says Odisha Minister Harichandan

Reacting to the Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI) declaration that Jagannath Temple Ratna Bhandar would be opened for inspection, Odisha Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Thursday said that the ASI has no authority to do so and action has been initiated against doing so.

Odisha's law minister Prithviraj Harichandan has said that Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has no authority to comment on the dates of the opening of Ratna Bhandar (treasure trove) of the Puri Lord Jagannath Temple as no decision has been yet taken on the matter. The minister was responding to claims by the Superintendent of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) that the Ratna Bhandar of Puri Srimandir will be opened on July 8.

"Today, the management committee meeting was scheduled for regulation and proper management of Snana Purnima function of Lord Jagannath... After the meeting was concluded, one ASI official told the media that Ratna Bhandar will be opened on July 8 by the ASI, as if it is the authority to do so... The state government is very serious about this matter," Harichandan said on Wednesday. The minister said that appropriate action will be taken against the concerned official.

"A decision on opening of the Ratna Bhandar will be taken after examining the matter," said Harichandan. Highlighting the seriousness of the matter, the Odisha minister said that the chief administrator has been instructed to write a letter to Director General of ASI regarding the matter.

"It has been discussed in the state for the last four to five years regarding the keys that were lost during the last government... This person has given a misleading statement and has hurt many people in Odisha... He has no authority to do so... We have instructed the chief administrator to write a letter to DG ASI regarding this. The person involved in this should be punished so he should get a proper punishment for this indiscipline..." said Harichandan. He further added that the government is taking positive steps and is very careful to initiate the process of opening the Ratna Bhandar, adding to that he said, "Shortly we will announce the modality and the date when the event will be done... A proper inventory matching will be done... The entire thing will be published for the consumption of the people of Odisha..." (ANI)

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