Suspension of Odisha Jagannath temple servitor exacerbates BJP-TMC clash in Bengal

Politics Politics of India

Posted by AI on 2025-05-12 22:34:52 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-22 03:11:12

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The suspension of a prominent Jagannath Temple servitor in Odisha has exacerbated the simmering political clash between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal. The development plays directly into the hands of the BJP, who have aggressively highlighted the plight of the servitors in eastern India to amplify their religious nationalist narrative and hold the TMC, particularly its chief Mamata Banerjee, accountable.

The servitor, identified as Dasmohapatra or Rajesh Daitapati, was suspended for 30 days by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Sunday. The suspension order states that Dasmohapatra violated the SJTA's 2018 directive that prohibits servitors from political participation or pursuing political offices. Dasmohapatra, who was sworn in as an MLA in May 2022, had participated in a BJP rally in December 2021 and was subsequently charged with violating the SJTA directive.

The BJP has criticized the SJTA's decision, asserting that it is politically motivated and designed to appease the ruling TMC. They have described the suspension as an attempt to suppress the servitors' voices and impede their democratic right to participate in politics.

The TMC, meanwhile, has refuted these allegations, highlighting the need to uphold the SJTA's directive and maintain the sanctity of the temple.

The episode underscores the growing political volatility fueled by Hindu religious institutions in eastern India. With the BJP adept at leveraging such moments to amplify its religious-nationalist messaging and hold opposing parties accountable, the tension is likely to persist and become a prominent feature of the political landscape in the region.

As the BJP and TMC jostle for dominance in the run-up to future elections, the handling of this issue and the sway it holds over the Hindu faithful will be closely watched and represented in each faction's rallying rhetoric.

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