BJD accuses BJP of playing politics over Jagannath Temple keys

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha today strongly objected to BJP chief Amit Shah raising the issue of the missing keys of the Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar and accused the saffron party of politicising the matter in the name of the lord.

Shah, while addressing partymen during his day-long visit to the state yesterday, had criticised the BJD government over the missing keys of the Ratna Bhandar.

"If a government cannot safeguard the religious sentiments of the people, how can it protect the interest of the masses?" he had asked.

Reacting to Shah's comments, BJD spokesperson and MP P K Deb said, "It is highly condemnable to do politics in the name of Lord Jagannath. Those who tried to do politics in the name of the lord in the past were ruined."
Rejecting Shah's claim that the Centre had given Rs 4 lakh crore to Odisha, Deb said, "He is making such statements because the BJP has run out of issues against the BJD."