Former Odisha BJP Chief Files PIL in Orissa HC Seeking Reopening of Ratna Bhandar

Cuttack: Former state BJP President, Samir Mohanty, has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Orissa High Court, demanding the reopening of the Ratna Bhandar, the treasure trove of Lord Jagannath in Puri Srimandir. Mohanty’s petition seeks repairs for the deteriorating condition of the Ratna Bhandar and a comprehensive inventory of its ornaments, which has not been conducted since 1987.

The petitioner also calls for the formation of a high-level joint committee, headed by either the Odisha Governor or a sitting judge, to oversee the inventory process. Sources indicate that the Ratna Bhandar is in a deplorable state, with leaking ceilings and peeling plaster, requiring urgent repairs.

The PIL further requests the registration of criminal cases against those involved in the mysterious disappearance of the Ratna Bhandar keys. It also advocates for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter. Senior advocate Pitambar Acharya emphasizes the need to open the Ratna Bhandar, conduct an inventory, and promptly address its hazardous condition.

Recently, concerns about the physical state of the 12th-century shrine’s treasure trove were raised by Puri King Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, Chhattisgarh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan, and senior servitors. Gajapati Maharaja, speaking to a local news channel, expressed his dissatisfaction with the Odisha government’s delay in reopening the Ratna Bhandar despite demands from various stakeholders.

Sarat Pattanayak, the President of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), questioned the government’s reluctance to open the Ratna Bhandar. He highlighted the support for its reopening from Gajapati Maharaja, Shankaracharya, and servitors, while urging the government to take action.