Bhubaneswar, Aug. 3 -- The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday criticised Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi's letter to the Centre seeking support for inclusion of Lord Jagannath's world-famous Rath Yatra in UNESCO's Heritage List, alleging that the move was aimed at diverting attention from the government's failure to ensure the smooth conduct of the annual festival.
In a statement, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said the BJP government, since assuming office in Odisha, has failed to conduct the Rath Yatra without lapses. Under such circumstances, he said, seeking UNESCO recognition for the festival amounted to a mere publicity exercise.
Mohanty alleged that the annual festival has witnessed repeated disruptions over the past three ye...