The Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) is in a fix after “Daita” priests on Wednesday threatened to allow devotees to touch deities on chariots during the upcoming Rath Yatra festival next month.

“We will allow the devotees and non-priests to climb the chariots and touch the deities notwithstanding the SJTA’s decision against this,” said Jagannath Swain Mohapatra, leader of the “Daitapati Nijog,” the apex body of priests in-charge of the deities during Rath Yatra.

The decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the Nijog at Puri where it was unanimously resolved to defy the SJTA’s decision.

The Temple Managing Committee headed by Puri king Dibyasingha Deb on June 17 had decided not to allow the devotees and non-priests to touch the deities on the chariots during the festival on July 10.

“The decision not to allow public to touch the deities was taken as per the suggestions of Puri Shankaracharya and other eminent scholars,” SJTA’s chief administrator Arabind Padhee told reporters.

He claimed that “daita” priests had earlier assured the SJTA at a meeting of full cooperation during the festival.

“If there is any difference of opinion, we hope to resolve them through discussion,” said Mr. Padhee, who is also the Revenue Divisional Commissioner of the central division.

SJTA has convened an emergency meeting with Daita priests to resolve the crisis on Thursday, Mr. Padhee said

The managing committee had resolved to allow devotees to have only darshan on the chariots after they reach destination near Sri Gundicha Temple, Mr. Padhee said adding a communication gap might have created a misunderstanding.

Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, a senior member of Daita Nijog, however, claimed that they were not informed about the decision of the managing committee. “Devotees used to touch the deities on chariots since generations. How can the devotees be prevented from doing so?”