Bhubaneswar: Stung by criticism by Puri Shankaracharya and also by his own party colleague Bijoy Mohapatra, BJP leader and former law minister Biswa Bhusan Harichandan on Wednesday listed out reforms initiated for the Puri Jagannath temple during his tenure between 2000 and 2009.

Taking a jibe at the BJD government, he also asserted that there had been no fiasco such as brahma parivartan (change of soul) of Lord Jagannath during his tenure.

Addressing a news meet at the BJP state headquarters here on Wednesday, Harichandan said: "It was unfortunate that learned persons such as Bijoy Mohapatra made some irresponsible remarks without knowing the facts. It is strange that people from my own party had criticised me."

"During my tenure, I made a widespread reforms in Jagannath Temple. The temple management committee was upgraded and the maharaja of Puri was made the president. Earlier, there used to be an administrator, who was an officer of joint secretary rank. But an officer in the rank of additional chief secretary was posted as chief administrator. Besides, three posts of administrator were crated to assist him," he said.

"Provisions of insurance coverage of devotees, who die on Grand Road or inside the Jagannath temple, was also introduced during my period. The servitors of the temple were also brought under insurance, Besides, the Ananda Bazaar (where mahaprasad is served) was renovated and high mast lights were installed on the external boundary wall around the temple premise," he added.

"Despite all these, the way I have been criticized is unfortunate," he remarked.

However, Mohapatra said: "Yesterday, I had simply expressed my opinions on the Shankaracharya. I had never uttered Harichandan's name in my statement nor did I want to remark on his performance report. He shouldn't take it personally as I have never uttered his name."