Onus on Jagannath temple committee to allow visitors of other religion: Swamy

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Friday said that the Puri Jagannath temple management committee will consider whether members of other religions should be allowed or not.

Swamy's statement comes a day after the Supreme Court asked the Puri Jagannath temple authorities to implement the District Judge report and update its website to make it 'friendly for devotees'.

"I would not like to comment on what the Supreme Court decides, but reasonable restrictions are allowed in our religion through the Constitution," Swamy told ANI.

"In my opinion, if the temple and court have a problem then they should stop people of other religion getting closer to the main altar. Also, it's only the temple's management committee who will consider whether members of other religions will be allowed to visit the temple subject to regulations," he added.

A division bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, stated in its interim order yesterday that the temple's management committee will consider whether members of other religions will be allowed to visit the temple subject to regulations.

Earlier a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed before the Supreme Court with respect to the missing Ratnabhandar key in the Odisha temple.

The PIL also highlighted various other issues like mismanagement of the temple administration and hassle-free visit to the temple.

In its interim order, the Supreme Court made it clear that if the state of Odisha has any objections to anything, they shall come back to court.

The Supreme Court had also ordered the District judges in areas where important shrines and Dargahs are located to submit a report to the High Court regarding the problems faced by devotees.

The court had earlier appointed amicus curiae, who will file a detailed report after consulting all the concerned parties in the case.

--ANI