MANISH RAJ
Deoghar, May 10: The construction work of separate free and easy access to the ‘Garbha Griha’ (sanctum sanctorum) for pilgrims for ‘Shighra Darshanam’ in the Baba Baidyanath Temple has been obstructed by veteran Congress leader and ex-minister of undivided Bihar KN Jha.
Talking to lagatar24.com, KN Jha said that he will not allow anyone to disturb the sanctity of the temple in the name of providing facilities to pilgrims who pay money for the coupon.
He also said that devotees of Lord Shiva cannot be discriminated at the gate of the Garbha Griha based on booking tickets.
Veteran leader KN Jha, who is also a descendant of the Panda family and lifetime member trustee, visited the construction site yesterday and appealed to the priest society to come forward to stop the district administration.
A meeting has been called in the late evening of Tuesday in the courtyard of the temple to take the decisive stand.
K N Jha is of the view that further construction in the patio of the temple will create suffocation and due to the pillars, devotees will not be able to do ‘parikrama’ (circumambulation i.e roundabout of the main temple after pouring water on the shivling).
He said that a DC is merely a custodian to maintain the law and order and improve the basic facilities of the temple.
“The Deoghar DC is free to do construction whatever is necessary outside the temple but he will not be allowed to do anything in the patio at any cost,” he added.
As per the provision, the pilgrims who avail the facility of ‘Shighra Darshanam’ get the entry through a separate route but just before Gharbha Griha, they have to adjust with the common pilgrims who flood in through another route.
The Deoghar administration has planned to provide a separate and smooth passage to devotees who pay for the Shighra Darshanam coupon.
Meanwhile, the Godda MP Dr Nishikant Dubey grabbed the opportunity to express his opinion on the matter. He took to Twitter to say, “The state government which came to power a few days ago is engaged in changing the map of Baba’s temple. The history of Baba Dham is great in itself but the state government is engaged in doing its politics on this too. The state should remain within its ambit.”
चंद दिनों की राज्य सरकार बाबा मंदिर का नक्शा बदलने में लगी हुई है ।बाबा धाम का इतिहास अपने आप में महान है लेकिन राज्य सरकार अपनी राजनीति इसपर भी करने में लगी हुई है । राज्य अपने दायरे में रहे। pic.twitter.com/FBats8PF5L
— Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) May 10, 2022
BJP MLA Narayan Das also expressed his concern with K N Jha. Although the Congress district president Sanjay Munam has not come forward on the party line but talking to lagatar24.com, he said there should be a one to one discussion between KN Jha and Deoghar DC to resolve the issue.
Sources said that KN Jha is planning to meet with Chief Minister Hemant Soren on this issue to apprise him of the sentiments of priests. It is being claimed that if he talks with CM, he will get his favour and the Deoghar administration will have to roll back the proposal.
