An alleged remark by Baba Ramdev on entry for all to the famous Sri Jagannath temple in Puri triggered protests as two local groups today demanded the arrest of the yoga guru.
An alleged remark by Baba Ramdev on entry for all to the famous Sri Jagannath temple in Puri triggered protests as two local groups today demanded the arrest of the yoga guru.
"There should not be any restriction on the entry of anyone to god's house as all are his children," Ramdev was quoted as having said by local television channels last night during a yoga camp at Talabania near here on January 19.
Angered by the remarks, hundreds of people belonging to the Sri Jagannath Sena and Sri Jagannath Sevayat Sammilani took to the streets shouting slogans and burnt the effigy of the yoga guru before the Lion's gate of the 12th century temple, where only Hindus are allowed entry.
"Jagatguru Sankaracharya of Puri is there to look into who should get entry to the temple. Who is Baba Ramdev? It's not his business to meddle with centuries old tradition," they said demanding that Ramdev should immediately leave the state.
The agitators took out a procession on the Grand Road and demonstrated before the palace of the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri Dibyasingha Dev demanding immediate and unconditional apology and withdrawal of the controversial statement by Ramdev.
Ramdev, who is on a Bharat Swabhiman Yatra in Orissa, however, claimed that his statement was misunderstood.
"The yoga guru has not said anything intending to hurt anyone. He said a decision should be taken by the state government and the temple administration acceptable to all," Bharat Swabhiman Yatra's state leader Sudhansu Adhikari told reporters here.
Though a case diary has been filed, no case has been registered so far, police sources said.
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