Odisha: Social media influencer booked for ‘propaganda’ on Jagannath Temple
Bhubaneswar: Trouble mounted for social media influencer Subhankar Mishra, as a senior servitor of the 12th-century Jagannath Temple, Puri, on Sunday filed a police complaint, accusing him of hurting the sentiments of Lord Jagannath’s devotees.
In his complaint, Gourahari Pradhan alleged, “For the past few days, a social media influencer named Shubhankar Mishra is trying to mislead today’s youth by spreading propaganda in the name of Lord Jagannath’s temple, the spiritual centre of crores of Odias.”
Pradhan further alleged that Mishra, in his social media statement regarding the “curse of Maa Radha Rani”, failed to clarify from which Puranas or authentic sources the latter derived this claim.
“This is cheap publicity. I strongly oppose such acts of playing with the emotions of millions of Jagannath devotees. It is causing me mental and physical distress. Any attempt to spread slander in the name of Mahaprabhu Jagannath will not be tolerated,” he stated in his complaint.
He urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and take strict action against the guilty.
Meanwhile, Puri district Superintendent of Police Prateek Singh told media persons that the FIR has been accepted and a probe will follow.
Singh also stated that all audio and video recordings of Mishra’s statements will be gathered.
Legal advice will be sought, and inputs from the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration will also be obtained as part of a comprehensive investigation.
Recently, Mishra reportedly said that couples who visit the Lord Jagannath temple before marriage are unable to enter into wedlock.
He reportedly said, “Once goddess Radha Rani had come to the 12th-century shrine to see Lord Krishna in the form of Jagannath. However, she was stopped by the servitors who told her that even the consorts of the Lord were not allowed inside the temple; then, how could she gain entry? After this, Radha Rani cursed the temple.”