Bhubaneswar 02/01/24 (TBN) The recent controversy surrounding a video by food blogger Kamiya Jani featuring the revered Puri Sri Jagannath Temple, with 5T Chairman V.K. Pandian, has stirred a political storm in Odisha unlikely to die down soon. Posing not only a serious threat to the nicely crafted image branding of bureaucrat turned politician V Kartikeya Pandian but likely to upset the upcoming poll outcome in the state. Opposition parties, notably the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), capitalized on the controversy, leveraging it as a means to tarnish the image of the ruling BJD and Kartikeya Pandian who is hailed as the successor of chief minister Navin Patnaik.
The video, which showcased the architectural marvels and spiritual significance of the Jagannath Temple, triggered a furor due to the involvement of V.K. Pandian, Chairman of 5T model and the second most powerful leader in BJD.
BJP swiftly latched onto this collaboration, accusing Pandian of breaching protocols by allowing Kamiya Jani who, is a beaf eater and promotes beaf cuisines. ‘By allowing her inside the temple, eating and filming Mahaprasad (temple food) Pandian has not only violated the sacred temple rules and traditions but has hurt the sentiments of crores of Odias and Hindus’, accused BJP. The party leaders tried to set the narratives against Pandian as a non-Odia Tamilian who wants to destroy Sri Jagannath Culture in Odisha. To justify the allegations Bjp said on the orders of Pandian dozens of centuries old heritage structures of Matha and Dharmasala having religious and ritual relations with the Sri Mandir were demolished without religious considerations. All these were done to destroy Sri Jagannath Culture, said BJP.
That’s not all, BJP was smart enough to quickly pick up the mood of the people and laid support to the statewide protests by Sri Jagannath Sanskruti Surakshya Samiti against Kamiya Jani and Kartikeya Pandian from behind. However, Kamiya Jani has denied the allegations and issued video messages to clarify that she doesn’t eat beaf nor has promoted beaf cuisine ever.
The BJP, quick to exploit any chink in the BJD’s armour, has seized upon this incident as an opportunity to question the ethical standards maintained by the ruling party and its supreme leader in waiting. By highlighting the alleged violation and its association with a high-ranking official like Pandian, the BJP aims to sway public opinion against the incumbent government.
The fallout from this controversy has placed the BJD in a precarious position, potentially denting its carefully curated image as a party that upholds cultural sanctity and ethical governance. The controversy broke out at a time when the government is planning a huge mega show of the inauguration of the Hundreds of crores Sri Mandir Parikrama marg project on 17 January 2024.
BJP is smart enough to escalate the issue by supporting statewide demonstrations by Sri Jagannath Sanskruti Surakshya Samiti.
As Odisha gears up for the impending polls, this incident has injected a fresh narrative into the political discourse. The BJP sees this as a timely advantage, hoping to leverage public sentiment against the BJD, which has hitherto enjoyed a strong foothold in the state’s political landscape.
However, amidst the uproar, supporters of the BJD defend Pandian’s actions, citing potential benefits from promoting tourism and showcasing the state’s heritage. Nonetheless, the repercussions of this controversy loom large, potentially altering the political equations in Odisha.
The unfolding developments stemming from Kamiya Jani’s video controversy have set the stage for a heated political battle in the upcoming elections, with the BJP seeking to capitalize on this incident to erode the BJD’s stronghold and redefine the state’s political trajectory.
