Using surplus Puri temple wood to carve deities at Digha against ethics, morality: Suvendu Adhikari

Using leftover timber meant for Puri’s Jagannath Temple for carving deities in Jagannath Temple in Digha of East Midnapore district of West Bengal, officially referred to as Jagannath Dham Cultural Central Centre, is against “ethics” and “morality”, observed BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday.

“The questionable involvement of Servitors, and the unauthorized use of surplus Sacred Wood (sacred Need wood from the Nabakalebara rituals) are directly affront to ethics and morality surrounding the Jagannath Culture and centuries long traditions,” said Adhikari in a statement posted on his official X handle in the morning.

He also welcomed the move by the Odisha government directing the Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration, Puri, to initiate a probe into the matter. "I welcome the steps taken by Shri Prithviraj Harichandan; Hon’ble Minister of Law, Works & Excise; Govt of Odisha, for a thorough investigation into the controversies involving the disgraceful conduct of persons of interest associated with the Shree Jagannath Temple of Puri."

According to him, the West Bengal government under the leader of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has stooped to a new low with their deceitful tactics, by officially referring the Digha structure as the “Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre” in state government documents and at the same time promoting that structure as a “Jagannath Temple”.

This, according to Adhikari, was done deliberately to mislead devotees and exploit their faith.

Legal brains are of the opinion that the Digha structure was deliberately referred to as “Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre” to avoid controversies over spending public money from the state exchequer to construct and develop a religious structure.

Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, has stressed addressing the controversies arising after referring to the structure as Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre, considering that the word “Dham” has bigger religious and historical connotations.

As per Hindu belief, barring the temples at Badrinath, Rameswaram, Dwarka and Puri, no other religious structure can be referred to as “Dham”.

“Regarding the controversy of naming a newly constructed site as a 'Dham' must be addressed, and the West Bengal government's duplicity should be exposed,” Adhikari’s post read.

He pointed out that although there are Lord Jagannath Temples across India and the world, none of them are referred to as “Dhams”.

“Replicating the Puri Jagannath Shree Mandir and passing it off as "Jagannath Dham" with the intent to rival or replace Puri’s significance is deeply inappropriate. The roles played by Daitapati Nijog Secretary Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra and Radharaman Das aka Rahul Yadav also need to be looked into as their actions have caused blatant insult to Jagannath culture, and their involvement reeks of negligence, eroding the trust of devotees by misusing the position they hold and their association with the respected Institutions.