AMSAR Act Controversy: BJD General Secretary Manas Mangaraj Alledges Aparajita Sarangi Resorts to Falsehood

Bhubaneswar: BJD General Secretary ( Media Affairs) Manas Mangaraj today alleged that former IAS officer and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi has resorted to falsehood on controversial AMSAR act.

In a media statement Mangaraj said, “I am not IAS officer like Smt. Aparajita Sarangi. I may not have done such extensive research like her, but I know that anyone can read this and understand in 5 minutes that Regional Director ASI, Kolkata is the competent authority for drafting of Heritage bylaws as per Section-20 E of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMSAR Act).

“Director Culture is not the competent authority for drafting of heritage bylaws. It is the Regional Director ASI Kolkata, who has sent the proposal for heritage bylaws of Odisha temples”, he added.

Targeting Aparajita, he said, “As Smt. Aparajita Sarangi does not understand Odia Culture may be it’s difficult for her to appreciate the sensitivity involved in a religious issue that links living deities with sevayats and devotees.”

“Perhaps Honourable Minister Pratap Sarangi who is from Odisha is able to understand these sensitivities in a better way,” he further added.

Refering to to AMSAR Act, he further said, “It seems that you haven’t read the AMSAR Act properly or you are deliberately resorting to falsehood. It would be better you read the AMSAR Act and answer my question, “Who is the competent authority for drafting heritage Bylaws as per Section- 20 E of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMSAR Act) which will affect the Ekamrakshetra?”.

“Don’t try to fool the people of Odisha by resorting to falsehood”, Mangaraj added.