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States » EastPosted at: May 13 2025 10:37PM


CHC PIL seeks clarification on Bengal govt’s role in Digha Jagannath temple

Kolkata, May 13 (UNI) A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed before a division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday, challenging the Bengal government's involvement in the recently inaugurated Digha Jagannath temple, which is reportedly modelled after the iconic shrine to the lord in Odisha’s Puri.

The PIL, filed by advocate and BJP leader Kaustav Bagchi, argued that the West Bengal government’s involvement in the project — officially referred to as the Shree Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre — violates constitutional principles by supporting what appears to be a religious institution under the guise of a cultural initiative.
The PIL, likely to be heard by the division bench of Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Smita Das De on May 19, also questions the recruitment of around 100 civic volunteers for temple-related duties — reportedly approved by the state cabinet — and requested the court to seek clarification from the temple authorities on the legal and administrative basis for these appointments.

The PIL further alleges that the temple is operating under the guise of a private trust while using state resources and premises. It calls for an inquiry into the legitimacy of this arrangement.
Interestingly enough, the Digha Jagannath temple, inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on April 30, has been at the centre of controversy since its inception.
Earlier, the Odisha government launched an investigation into a claim during a TV interview in Kolkata by servitor Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra — who attended the Digha temple inauguration - that he had used surplus wood from the 2015 Nabakalebara of Puri’s Jagannath Dham to carve the idols for the Digha shrine.

‘Nabakalebara’ is a ritual conducted every 12 or 19 years at the Puri temple, during which the wooden forms of the deities — Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Jagannath — are replaced.

However, later the Odisha government admitted that surplus wood from Puri’s Jagannath Temple was not used to craft the idols at the Digha Jagannath shrine.

Investigation has revealed that Dasmohapatra enlisted a Bhubaneswar-based artisan to craft the idols for the Digha temple, and upon questioning, the Sri Jagannath Temple Authority (SJTA) confirmed that the artisan had obtained neem wood from a timber supplier for the project.

The Jagannath Dham temple in Digha has been built in the traditional Kalinga architectural style, known for its intricate carvings and towering spires. The structure developed at a cost of Rs 250 crore by the West Bengal government is made from pink sandstone sourced from Rajasthan, and more than 800 artisans contributed their expertise to complete the construction.

Spanning a vast 20-acre area, the temple complex is not only a religious site but also an architectural marvel. It features imposing gateways such as the Singhadwar (lion gate), Byaghradwar (tiger gate), Hastidwar (elephant gate), and Ashwadwar (horse gate). UNI XC SSP
Tags: #CHC PIL seeks clarification on Bengal govt’s role in Digha Jagannath temple
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