Commission probing missing Jagannath temple keys fooling people, claims Pradhan

Taking a jibe at Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday said the inquiry commission constituted by him to look for the missing treasury keys in Jagannath temple is only to fool people of the state.

"(Odisha) Chief Minister ordered setting up of inquiry commission over lost keys of the treasury (of Jagannath Temple in Puri) but I want to ask CM Naveen Babu that does inquiry commission posses a magic wand? The commission is just there to make a fool of Odia people," Pradhan said while addressing the gathering at the Kalinga Literary Festival here.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court directed that a committee be set up under the Bhubaneswar District Judge to look into the matter.

As Lord Jagannath's annual Rath Yatra is scheduled to be held on July 14, the one-man inquiry commission was authorised by Patnaik on June 4, and a report on the same was to be submitted after the festival.

There are a total of seven treasuries within the temple, out of which one remains open at all times.

However, keys to four of the treasuries went missing around 34 years ago.

Due to an increase in political pressure, two out of the seven treasuries were opened in April this year.