Brahma Paribartan fiasco: Congress calls Odisha bandh on Friday

The Odisha Congress has called for a dawn-to-dusk shutdown on Friday demanding action against the guilty and judicial probe into the Brahma Paribartan fiasco.

At a press meet here on Wednesday, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Prasad Harichandan said that the state government has failed to take action against the guilty, forcing them to resort to an agitation.

He maintained that the PCC would not only observe fast on June 26 as announced earlier, but also observe a state-wide shutdown. He appealed to all Jagannath devotees and general public to extend support.

"The administrative probe into the mismanagement of Brahma Paribartan is an eyewash. It is amazing to note that the guilty (Shree Jagannath Temple Administrator) is inquiring into the matter to punish the culprits," said Prasad.

Reiterating party's demand for a judicial probe into the fiasco, he also said that no action was taken against the minister and servitors responsible for the mess.

The Puri District Bar Association is observing bandh call in the pilgrim town on Wednesday protesting against dereliction in Brahma Paribartan rituals of the deities inside Shri Jagannath temple and demanding action against the erring servitors and temple chief administrator.

While vehicular movement was affected due the bandh, all business and trading establishments and educational institutions remained closed.

The lawyers of the Odisha High Court Bar Association also boycotted their work extending their support to the move of their Puri counterparts. Several others bar associations including Bhubaneswar, Balasore and Rourkela also extended support.

Additional Superintendent of Police of Puri, Jagannath Pradhan, said the situation remained peaceful and no untoward incidents reported following the bandh call in the town.