CUTTACK: Factionalism in the Cuttack unit of BJD has come to the fore over the issue of height of Durga idols with former MLA and district president Debasis Samantray targeting senior leader and party MP Bhartruhari Mahtab for opposing the State government’s decision.
Stating that the decision to keep the height of the idols within four feet has been taken to check a possible third wave of the Covid-19 and put a curb on the pandemic, Samantray said there is no logic behind Mahtab’s opposition to the move. Besides, the height of the idol has been fixed by the government for the entire State and not for Cuttack city alone, he added.
Samantray stated that the party MP should not try to create unnecessary disturbances in Cuttack city by opposing the decision of the government as there is no mention of height of idol in any scripture.“Mahtab’s claim of obstruction in puja due to short height of the idols is unjustified and unacceptable,” he added.
On Saturday, after the meeting between the Cuttack Mahanagar Shanti Committee and Durga Puja committees, Mahtab had said that small size of idols meant obstructions in puja. He said spread of Covid cannot be checked by reducing the height by two and half feet.
Describing the decision of the government as ridiculous, the Cuttack MP had said that anybody could move the court challenging the decision. It was decided at the meeting that a delegation led by Mahtab will meet the Chief Minister and request him to consider the demand to raise the height of the idols by September 16.Sources in the government, however, said there is no chance of reconsideration of the decision on the height of the idols.