BJP, BJD spar over cracks on shrine wall

BHUBANESWAR: A war of words ensued between the BJP and BJD on Tuesday over the multiple cracks that have surfaced on Meghanada Prachira, the boundary wall encircling the Shree Jagannath temple at Puri.

Putting the blame on the previous BJD government for the cracks, BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal said digging of big holes around the Srimandir by using huge machines during construction of the Parikrama project has affected the temple’s boundary wall. Former chief minister Naveen Patnaik and his close associate VK Pandian should clear the air over the issue, he said.

Claiming that the excavation around the temple was done by using machines without permission of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and National Monuments Authority (NMA), Biswal said such illegal work was carried out without complying with the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act.