No right to stay in Odisha: Kalinga Sena warns ISKCON over untimely Rath Yatra row

Bhubaneswar,UPDATED: Jul 11, 2026 11:35 IST

A controversy has erupted in Odisha over the timing of ISKCON's Rath Yatra celebrations, with the Kalinga Sena accusing the organisation of violating Jagannath tradition by holding what it termed an "untimely" Rath Yatra.

The Bhubaneswar-based social and political outfit staged a protest outside the ISKCON temple in the city on Friday, alleging that the organisation had ignored an appeal by Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb to conduct Rath Yatra celebrations worldwide in accordance with scriptural traditions.

The Kalinga Sena warned that ISKCON devotees would not be allowed to enter Puri during the Rath Yatra on July 16 and threatened to disrupt the organisation's activities in Odisha if it continued with celebrations that deviated from the traditional calendar.

Addressing reporters, Kalinga Sena president Hemant Rath said, "ISKCON has no right to stay in Odisha as it has insulted Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, who is considered the first servitor of Lord Jagannath. Our activists will ensure that ISKCON people do not remain present during the Rath Yatra in Puri and Bhubaneswar."

He said that despite repeated appeals, ISKCON had failed to adhere to the schedule prescribed for Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra.

Rejecting accusations that the group was taking the law into its own hands, Rath said, "If they do not respect our Jagannath culture, why should we honour them in Puri? They have no business in Puri."

He further warned that Kalinga Sena activists would stop ISKCON's activities across Odisha and threatened to "target and lock" all ISKCON temples in the state if the organisation did not discontinue what it described as "untimely" Rath Yatra celebrations.

The outfit also appealed to people across Odisha to oppose ISKCON in their respective areas.

The Sena also objected to ISKCON's annual Rath Yatra in Bhubaneswar, although the city's ISKCON temple has been organising the festival for decades in accordance with the traditions observed at the Jagannath Temple in Puri.

The dispute centres on Kalinga Sena's allegation that ISKCON is not following the prescribed schedule for Rath Yatra celebrations, triggering protests and threats of action ahead of the July 16 festival in Puri.

- Ends