Kendrapara (Orissa): Ruling BJD MP
Baijayant Panda had to pay fine for 'purification ceremony'
today after a party activist from the minority community went
inside the 300-year-old Lord Baldevjew temple, where
non-Hindus were not allowed, along with Panda in Kendrapara.
As the high-profile MP visited the temple to review
the execution of Centre-funded heritage project near the place
of worship, a youth from the minority community was spotted
inside the temple beside the MP," a priest said.
Non-Hindus are not allowed inside the temple, a
medieval monument, built during the Maratha rule.
The district unit of BJP has condemned the incident
and criticised the MP.
Immediately after the presence of the man was spotted.
all the rituals and puja of the deity had to be abruptly
stopped, the deity desecrated followed by a ceremony for
purification, a priest Nrusingha Prasad Patri said.
Panda, who had to bear the cost of the entire
purification ceremony, could not be contacted.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, March 18, 2010, 18:06