The controversy over whether the devotees should be allowed to touch the deities or not has resurfaced. Why is the Daitapati Niyog silent on the matter?

This is the most unfortunate part of the rath yatra that the devotees are not allowed to touch the deities. In fact, devotees have become the victims of a conspiracy hatched by influential groups. No one is trying to understand the Jagannath culture. Here, the Lord comes out from the shine for the devotees. Unlike other gods, Lord Jagannath is like a human being, he dies and is born again (the Nabakalebar). It is unfortunate that the temple administration proceeded to the court and imposed a ban on the issue. With due respect to the Puri king Dibya Singh Deb and the Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Sara-swati, I would like to say that we are hurt to see that they are not raising objection to the move. Rather, they are co-operating with the administration to implement the ban.  This time, they have even stopped the devotees from touching the chariots.

The temple administration had put up posters in the city declaring that those who would touch the deities will face criminal proceedings. Even they had released pamphlets in four languages — English, Hindi, Bengali and Odia —to implement the move… 

The administration shouldn’t have done this. It has hurt the sentiments of the devotees. People questioned why should the followers of Shankaracharya be allowed to mount the chariots along with the Shankaracharya every year. 

There are allegations that servitors are angry because they cannot take devotees to the chariot and collect money from them...  

The question is not about making money. We never play with the sentiments of devotees and charge money from them to help them get a darshan. It’s a calculated move to defame the sevayat community. We know the reasons behind the move.

What is the Niyog’s plan on this issue? 

We will again appeal to the Puri king and Shankarcharya and we will again move court on this issue. 
Before that, we would like to have a consensus on the issue.

There are allegations that servitors blackmail the administration and force it to toe their line on various issues.

Why are you people always blaming the servitors? Take the example of this year’s rath yatra, so far every thing has gone smoothly. Even many besha (attire) of Lord Jagannath has taken place this year after so many years.

We have seen devotees coming from far off places such as Chile to be a part of the rath yatra. But, police had stopped them from entering the temple. Don’t you think that the temple should be open to all? 

I know people coming from far off places are great devotees of the Lord. But keeping the historical aspects in view — how the Jagananth temple had become a victim of attacks, the servitors are not able to trust them (non-Hindus). But the devotees should not be worried. They can get the darshan of the Lord during the rath yatra.

A section of people had blamed you and a few other daitapatis for the delay in transfer of brahma during the Nabakalebar in 2015. Even your blackened posters were put up at various places of the city. What do you have to say? 

Daitapatis are ones who sacrifice everything to ensure the Jagannath culture remains forever. On the issue of Nabakalebar, I just want to say that a few people had circulated various verdicts on the brahma, even a few people said it had been stolen. 

But all were wrong. People with vested interests had put up my posters with ulterior motives. At the same time, I want to say that people in Bangalore, Hyderabad and few other places where the Jagannath temples are there, people have put up my photographs on the temple premises out of love and adoration.

It was not the general public but a few servitors had raised the issue of mismanagement during the Nabakalebar. There were allegations that you had allowed the then law minister Arun Sahu to enter to the restricted area and also allowed the then agriculture minister Pradeep Maharathy to ride the bullock cart carrying sacred logs. 

All these allegations were made with malicious intentions. Not only law minister Arun Sahu, many others were allowed to enter the tent where we were staying. Besides, Pradeep Maharathy had mounted the bullock cart meant for carrying the articles of the daitapatis and not the vehicles carrying the darubrahma (sacred logs).

You are a member of the BJD and you also head the district hoteliers’ association. Is it because of this reason that you have a soft corner for the government and your response to the mistakes of the administration is always muted? 

I am a daitapati first. For me, the prime objective of my life is to serve the Lord, then comes the party and other things. No post is above it (the role of the daitapati). People love and respect me. 

Cite one instance where I have not raised my voice for the concerns of the Jagannath culture. For every daitapati, Lord Jagannath is the head of his family and he is the elder brother to him. Besides, you have to do something to sustain your livelihood. So, I am in the hotel business. I am doing the business within the legal framework.

The social media talks about your gold jewellery. Even some people have said that the income tax department should conduct a raid on you. From where do you get these jewellery? 

Why don’t you in the media understand that I have inherited the jewellery from my ancestors? This is a part of our tradition. The rath yatra is the festival of our family members. We wear new clothes and gold jewellery. On the issue of the income tax raid, let me say we are all income tax payers.