BHUBANESWAR, INDIA, April 5, 2022 (Hindustan Times): The Central government has told the Odisha government that its ordinance to bring the 11th-century Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar and its associated temples under a special law is outside the “legislative competence” of the state legislature and could lead to conflict with the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMASR Act). In December 2020, Naveen Patnaik led cabinet approved an ordinance to bring Lingaraj Temple, the largest temple in Bhubaneswar and 8 other associated temples, under the control of Lingaraj Temple Managing Committee, similar to the one for Jagannath Temple in Puri. The Lingaraj temple was earlier covered under the Odisha Hindu Religious Endowment Act.
In December 2019, the Patnaik government unveiled the Ekamra Kshetra Development project for the development of the area around Lingaraj temple to revive the heritage and cultural value of the temple city However, the ordinance sent to the Center for vetting has run into hurdles. The Ministry of Home Affairs has said several sections of the proposed ordinance were in conflict with the AMASR Act. The ministry has pointed out that the state government has already violated the AMASR Act around Lingaraj temple by building modern structures. Citing objections from the culture ministry, the judicial and political prisoners section of the home ministry said that since the ordinance covers 12 centrally protected monuments including the Lingaraj temple and 3 tanks it was outside the legislative competence of the state legislature as it violates the provisions of AMASR Act, 1958.
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/in-conflict-with-central-law-centre-blocks-odisha-s-lingaraj-temple-ordinance-101649103983900.html