Non-Hindu students evicted from Puri Jagannath temple

BHUBANESWAR: Around 120 school students from Jamshedpur were on Sunday evicted from the Jagannath Temple in Puri after it was known that they were non-Hindus.

The 12th century shrine is off limits to non-Hindus. The students and their teachers, who were ignorant of the temple rule, faced humiliation near the baisi pahanch (twenty-two steps) after a group of priests questioned their religion.

They came to Puri on study tour, sources said. "Though all the students were Indians, many of them were non-Hindus. We immediately intervened and politely asked them to vacate the shrine precinct," temple's public relations officer Laxmidhar Pujapanda told TOI.

He denied the students and teachers were insulted by priests. The incident rekindled memories of unpalatable incidents, involving non-Hindus facing wrath from some uncouth priests in the past. While foreigners were beaten up and thrown outside the shrine, an American woman last year cried inconsolably after being jeered by a few priests. High drama unfolded in front of the Puri Jagannath temple on December 10, 2011 after a group of foreign tourists staged a symbolic protest demanding entry into the shrine.

The visitors, many of whom were ISKCON pilgrims, claimed to be converted-Hindus and insisted the temple authorities to let them enter the shrine. Earlier on December 23, 2010, a tourist from New Zealand demonstrated in front of the shrine demanding entry.

Source: TOI

Orissa a huge investment destination: ASSOCHAM

Despite the raging issues of land acquisition and local resistance, industrialisation has gone off in a big way in the State. About 45.9 per cent of the total outstanding investments had actually gone on ground while 51 per cent of the live investment projects were past the announcement stage, an independent study by the the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has revealed.  Only 3 per cent of the projects were hindered due to reasons like obstructions, land acquisition, cancellations due to market policy and obtaining environment clearances.

 Releasing the study “Sustaining Growth Momentum in Orissa” on Thursday, the industry body stated that the State had 574 live investment projects to the tune of Rs 11.3 lakh crore as of 2010. Registering a growth of over 19 per cent year-on-year, it had attracted 72 fresh live investments notching over Rs 1.8 lakh crore in 2010.

Orissa, in fact, has notched a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.8 per cent during the last decade surpassing its regional peers West Bengal’s 6.7 per cent, Bihar’s 7.3 per cent and Assam’s 5.3 per cent, Chairman of ASSOCHAM Regional Development Council and CMD of Radico Khaitan Group Lalit Khaitan said.

Projecting a roadmap for the future, the industry body has emphasised on greater thrust on relatively unexplored areas with great potential. The study has identified marine and fisheries as a key growth sector. With such a vast coastline and sweet water resources flourishing with marine potential, the State has not been able to capitalise on the opportunities in the sector. “Marine and inland fisheries contribute only 1.1 per cent of GDP with 4.8 per cent decadal growth. Focus should be shifted to attracting investment to this lucrative sector,” Chairman of ASSOCHAM Electronics Council Anirudh Dhoot said.