Bhubaneswar, Nov 13 : Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) will launch Tulasi Yatra on December 1 demanding the fulfillment of its six-point charter of demands including the opening of all four doors of Sri Jaganath temple and the opening of the Ratna Bhandar.
The other demands included the repair of Ratna Bhandar and assessment of the jewellery of the Ratna Bhandara and return of land acquired illegally for Vedant University.
OPCC President Sarat Patnaik told newspersons at on Monday that the party decided to launch the Tulasi Yatra as the government did not pay any heed to its demand even after it launched a massive demonstration in support of its demands at Puri on October 16 and state-wide Sankirtan Satyagraha on November 9 in support of its demands.
Patnaik said on December 1, under the supervision of Congress district Presidents, Tulasi will be collected from all devotees and the general public. from all corners of the state and will be brought to state Party headquarters, Bhubaneswar.
Tulasi collected from across the state will be taken in a procession to Puri. The Congress workers, and devotees will congregate at Saradha Bali and march In a procession to the Sri Jagannath temple and offer Tulasi to the deities.
Patnaik said devotees from across the globe are coming to have darshan of the deities but the government is acting as a bar between the God and its devotees and not opening the doors. The Congress would not tolerate it and would intensify its agitation if the government did not concede to the demands.
Former OPCC President Prasad Harichandan demanded the government publish a white paper on the Sri Mandir heritage project giving the details about the money spent and the work completed. On January 17, the government decided to dedicate the project to the people.
