Kendrapara: The district administration will soon put a ban on use of cameras and mobile phones inside the Lord Baladevjew temple, the presiding deity of Kendrapara district. People from various quarters have been demanding a stop on use of cameras and mobile phones inside the temple at Icchapur in the town. A voluntary outfit Baladev Sena has also been spearheading an agitation demanding a complete ban on use of cameras and mobile phones inside the temple.
However, people have been taking cameras and mobile phones inside the temple and clicking photographs and shooting videos of the deities during their visit. They are also making and answering calls on their phones during their visit inside the temple. The matter came to the fore when a delegation of Baladev Sena met SubCollector Niranjan Behera at his office and submitted a memorandum in this regard, Tuesday. Behera is also the ex-officio chairman of Lord Baladevjew trust in the town. Accepting the memorandum, Behera assured the delegation to take decision in this regard in the next meeting of trust board.
Speaking to media persons, Papaun Kumar Swain said that Lord Baladevjew is symbol of Hindu culture and faith. Rampant use of cameras and mobiles has disturbed the peace in the temple as some devotees have been found clicking the photographs of some secret rituals of the deity. Even the objectionable videos of some persons inside the shrine have gone viral on social media. This has shocked scores of devotees and there is an urgent need to ban the use of cameras and mobile phones inside the temple premises. He said that the administration should make arrangement of lockers outside the temple to store cameras, mobile phones, bags and helmets and engage police personnel to verify the devotees entering into the temple.
The district administration should also put up notice boards at public places informing them about the restrictions prevailing in the temple. The administration should also act tough and take stringent action against the people violating the norms. Baladev Sena members Niranjan Suar, Amar Barik, Niranjan Mekap, Jyotiranjan Patri, Khageshwar Behera, Umesh Behera and Pratik Anurag were part of the delegation.