Politics on Puri Rath Yatra hots up, Sambit Patra moves SC for festival

BHUBANESWAR: With all eyes on the Supreme Court whether it will on Monday reconsider its June 18 order of cancellation of Rath Yatra, scheduled on Tuesday, the political temperatures in the state have soared on a topic, having links with the emotions and sentiments of countless people of the state and outside.
Amid the mounting attacks from the opposition parties on the state government over cancellation of the car festival, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra on Sunday filed an application in the Supreme Court, praying for Rath Yatra.
At least 15 applications have been filed in the Supreme Court by individuals, religious bodies and private organisations to modify the June 18 order and allow Rath Yatra in a restricted manner in Puri. However, Patra’s petition assumed significance as several BJP leaders have been demanding Rath Yatra in Puri. Patra unsuccessfully contested the 2019 elections from Puri Lok Sabha seat.
“Today I filed an application for clarification/modification of earlier order of SC and sought permission for the Holy Rath Yatra of Shri Jagannath Mahaprabhu in Puri scheduled for 23rd June. Hope all our prayers are answered by the Lord of the Universe,” Patra tweeted.
A number of people trolled Patra on social media and pulled him up for raising his voice for Rath Yatra almost three days after the SC order. "Rath Yatra is just a day away. You should have geared up on Friday, a day after the SC stalled the Rath Yatra in view of Covid-19 pandemic," said Murali Behera, a devotee.
Patra's move coincided with Puri’s BJP MLA Jayant Sarangi too vouching for a restricted Rath Yatra in Puri. On Sunday, Sarangi wrote separate letters to governor Ganeshi Lal and chief minister Naveen Patnaik and sought the duo’s immediate interventions to file review petitions in the Supreme Court.
BJP state president Samir Mohanty, who earlier supported the Supreme Court’s order, on Sunday said that the state government should take steps to ensure that the Rath Yatra takes place as per schedule on Tuesday.
Congress also upped the ante on Sunday. “Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra is not just a festival for Odias, it's an intrinsic part our life. Whatever may be the decision of the Supreme Court, the rituals, culture & traditional practices of Jagannath temple must be upheld at any cost. But unfortunately, the Odisha government wakes up only when the crisis hits a peak. The government must initiate a discussion with stakeholders and find a way to preserve our ancient traditions. Otherwise, history will not forgive them,” tweeted Congress state president Niranjan Patnaik.
The state government continued to remain tight-lipped on the growing public outcry. Ruling BJD asked the opposition parties to refrain from politicizing the Supreme Court order and Rath Yatra. “The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the petitions on Monday. We should wait,” a BJD spokesperson said.
On the other hand, Puri, which by this time would have soaked in religious fervour, lacked the festive mood this time. People have kept their fingers crossed and waited with a bated breath on the Supreme Court’s hearing on Monday on the raft of applications filed to review its June 18.
Daitapati Nijog, an association of servitors of Jagannath temple, said their application should be considered by the apex court. “The government did not convince the court that Rath Yatra can be held without devotees. In our petition, we have highlighted that all the servitors tested negative after undergoing Covid-19 in the run-up to June 5 Debasnan Purnima. The administration smoothly conducted Debasnan Purnima by banning public congregation. The same move should be adopted for Rath Yatra,” Nijog’s secretary Durga Dasmohapatra said.
“We have turned nostalgic when we saw the uneasy calm on Grand Road, which would have been buzzing with activities now. Rath Yatra is just a day away, but Puri looks dull and is robbed of its sheen. We really hope the Supreme Court allows Rath Yatra with restrictions,” said Debasis Das, a local advocate and social activist.