BHUBANESWAR: A delegation of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Tuesday met Odisha governor Ganeshi Lal and submitted a memorandum protesting the Supreme Court suggestion to allow non-Hindus into Puri Jagannath Temple. They have also planning to submit their memorandum to the President and Prime Minister urging them to intervene in the matter for the sake of religious sentiments and to preserve the practice of thousands of years in the temple.

“This is very unfortunate that the Supreme Court of India gave such a suggestion to allow non-Hindus into the Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri. We strongly oppose this suggestion and think that there is a conspiracy against the Hindu religion,” said working president of state wing of VHP, B N Patnaik.

They said, the decision to allow non-Hindus can only be taken by the religious authorities like the Mukti Mandap and its president Shankaracharya of Gobardhan Peeth.

“For the darshan of non-Hindu devotees Lord Jagannath with his siblings come out to the streets every year during Rath Yatra. By allowing the non-Hindus, the religious sanctity of one of the most prominent shrines of the country will be lost. All saints and sadhus of the state will oppose it and submit a memorandum to the president and prime minister to intervene,” Patnaik added.

He said, the VHP will move to the court and urge for a higher bench to hear the issue so that the religious sentiments of lakhs of devotees must not be hurt, he pointed out.

