Puri: Srikhetra Surakhya Bahini and Srijagannath Sena, two local outfits of Puri, have called for a six-hour bandh in the Holy City Friday seeking organisation of this year’s Rath Yatra June 23.
“The strike will be in force from 6 am to 12 noon Friday. It will be held in a peaceful manner,” said office-bearers of the two outfits.
Soon after the Supreme Court pronounced its order cancelling the Rath Yatra, hundreds of devotees gathered near Srimandir. Activists of Srijagannath Sena led by the outfit’s convener Priyadasrhan Patnaik held a demonstration in front of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration office. They blamed the Centre and state government for cancellation of the mega event.
Many carpenters who have been engaged in chariot construction expressed displeasure over the SC order. They said that they have been staying in quarantine and have undergone Covid-19 tests to build the chariots.
“We have given a lot of effort to build the chariots within a short time. The SJTA has distributed immunity-boosting homoeopathic medicines among the servitors. But, now the court has ordered that the festival cannot be organised,” said a carpenter.
Many locals, meanwhile, urged the state government to organise the festival without the presence of devotees.
PNN