The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) will take out a rally in Puri on October 16 to demand the reopening of all the four gates of Jagannath temple for devotees.

OPCC president Sarat Pattanayak on Wednesday said a large number of devotees from across the country and outside visit the temple each day.

"The number of devotees will increase during the holy Odia month of Kartik, which begins from October 29. Respecting the demands of Jagannath lovers, all the four gates of the temple should be reopened for public immediately," he demanded.

The party will submit a memorandum to the chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in this regard, he said.

He also asked the government to reopen the Ratna Bhandar of the temple for repairs as well as the inventory of ornaments and valuables stored in the shrine’s treasury.

In a statement in the state assembly during the recently concluded monsoon session, Law Minister Jagannath Saraka had said entry of devotees to the temple through the four gates was closed since March 20, 2020 due to Covid restrictions.

"As the Srimandir Parikrama project is still underway, three gates cannot be opened for devotees," he had said.

Apart from the Singhadwar (Lions Gate), the government has opened the Paschim Dwar (west gate) only for Puri residents for performing daily rituals.

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