Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday urged the Centre to withdraw the bylaws drafted by National Monuments Authority (NMA) for Ananta Basudev and Brahmeswar temples here.
Naveen took to the Twitter to say, “Central Govt should immediately withdraw the National Monuments Authority draft bylaws on Ananta Basudev & Brahmeswar Temple of #EkamraKshetra. It would have been appropriate for the Central agencies to take the State into confidence on sensitive religious issues (sic).”
The Chief Minister appealed all MPs from the state to take up the issue with the Centre and Union Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel as it involves the sentiments of lakhs of devotees of Odisha, lives and livelihood of servitors linked to the smooth conduct of rituals of Lord Lingaraj.
The bylaws prohibit construction of any kind within 100-metre of a temple and regulate constructions on further 200-metre. Ananta Basudev temple is located within 300-metre radius of the 11th century Lingaraj temple. While the draft bylaws for Ananta Basudev covers a section of the Lingaraj shrine in its regulated zone, those for Brahmeswar have Bhaskareswar and Megheswar temples within 300-metre radius.
Meanwhile, devotees and servitors were seen lighting earthen lamps at Lingaraj temple, protesting the draft bylaws.
Notably, after receiving sharp criticism from several quarters, the Centre withdrew the bylaw for 12the century Srimandir in Puri. However, those for the shrines in Bhubaneswar remained in force.