"Administrative lapse, callousness": BJD's Mohanty demands resignation of Odisha Law Minister over Puri stampede
The BJP leader said that the officials and ministers concerned with the law and order situation during the Rath Yatra were absent during the stampede.
Speaking to ANI, Mohanty said, 'We are extremely sad for the incident that has happened. This is the land of Lord Jagannath and people love to come to that place. During the annual rath yatra, a stampede took place on Sunday due to administrative lapse and callousness.'
'A team of 5 ministers was constituted, they were not there when the stampede took place, nor were the officials. When the stampede happened, these five ministers and the top-level officers were not there. An apology is not sufficient. Immediately after that, the real culprit should be punished. They just transferred the collector and DSP,' he said.
Adding further, he said, 'The real culprit is the law minister (Prithviraj Harichandan). He always boasts high but has very low performance. He should take moral responsibility and he should resign...'
Karnataka Congress MLC BK Hariprasad also reacted to the stampede and said, 'The BJP always tries to take political advantage of every situation. The Rath Yatra, which has been ongoing for thousands of years, has never experienced anything like this before. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has the entire responsibility, and he should resign immediately...'
Meanwhile, as an administrative inquiry began into the Puri stampede, Development Commissioner Cum Additional Chief Secretary of Odisha, Anu Garg, spoke to mediapersons and said, '... 30 days are given in which we have to tell the reason behind this unfortunate incident and what measures can be taken so nothing like this happens in the future. We will speak with everyone and review all possible footage. What SOPs were there, and what were followed? After checking everything, the report will be submitted to the gov...'
Earlier on Sunday, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan described the stampede that occurred during the annual Puri Rath Yatra as 'very unfortunate' and said appropriate action will be taken after the completion of an investigation.
Three devotees lost their lives and several others were injured during the crowd surge at the world-famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri.
'The incident is very unfortunate. The state government has taken strict action and a senior officer will investigate the incident... We will take action once we get the report of the investigation,' Harichandan told reporters.
He added, 'Mahaprabhu, with his wish, gives darshan to his devotees... Tomorrow, the devotees will have the opportunity to offer prayers... I prayed to Mahaprabhu for the well-being of everyone.'
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep sorrow over the incident and announced a financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh to the families of each of the deceased devotees. He also assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible and pledged to prevent such tragedies in the future.
'Rath Yatra is a source of pride for Odisha,' the Chief Minister said, adding that the safety and sanctity of the festival would be safeguarded at all costs.
'The chariots in the Rath Yatra reached Shree Gundicha Temple on June 28, and as per tradition, they visited their birthplace the next day. Unique and mesmerising rituals were conducted today very smoothly... We acknowledge the support and cooperation of the devotees... The important ritual will be the Sandhya Darshan on July 4. We request all the devotees to cooperate and follow the given instructions,' he said.
The annual Rath Yatra is a significant religious event in Odisha, drawing lakhs of devotees from across the country. The recent stampede has cast a shadow over the celebrations, prompting authorities to review crowd management and ensure stricter safety protocols in the coming days. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
15 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Calcutta high court grants relief to Padma awardee monk in alleged rape case
Kolkata: The Calcutta high court on Wednesday directed the West Bengal government not to take any immediate action against 2025 Padma Shri awardee monk, Swami Pradiptananda, against whom the Murshidabad district police had filed a first information report (FIR) last week after a local woman accused him of rape, lawyers who were present in court said. The Calcutta high court. (File Photo) The court also accepted the monk's request for an in-camera hearing, which is scheduled to begin on Thursday. Swami Pradiptananda, popularly known as Kartik Maharaj, is head of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha's Beldanga ashram in Murshidabad. Skipping a police summon for interrogation he moved the court on Tuesday, seeking quashing of the FIR. 'The bench of justice Jay Sengupta heard Kartik Maharaj's petition on Wednesday and directed the government not to take any immediate action on the basis of the FIR and wait for the hearing instead,' lawyer Koustav Bagchi, who represented the monk, told HT. Lawyer Sandipan Ganguly, who represented the alleged rape survivor, objected to the appeal for in-camera hearing, saying monks who faced similar charges in the past were tried in open court. Ganguly cited the example of Gujarat's Asaram Bapu. 'Reacting to this, the bench expressed surprise on why the Murshidabad woman did not file any complaint in 13 years,' Bagchi said. The woman has alleged in her complaint lodged at the Lalbagh police station that Swami Pradiptananda raped her repeatedly between 2012 and 2019 by promising her a job. She has alleged that she was forced to undergo an abortion in 2013. The woman has also claimed to have talked to the monk over the phone on June 12 and alleged that two men sent by him threatened her the following day. The monk has shared dais with Bharatiya Janata Party's Bengal leaders such as Suvendu Adhikari several times in recent months. In May 2024, chief minister Mamata Banerjee publicly accused him of helping the BJP in the then ongoing Lok Sabha polls. The monk sent a legal notice to Banerjee, demanding an unconditional apology, but she stuck to her allegations. The ruling Trinamool Congress unleashed a fresh attack on the monk after he moved the high court. Bengal BJP leaders have alleged that the TMC was trying to frame Kartik Maharaj with trumped up charges.
Hans India
16 minutes ago
- Hans India
'Congress not concerned about country's pride': Jyotiraditya Scindia on Rahul's 'surrender' jibe
New Delhi: Union Minister for Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, launched a sharp attack on the Congress party on Wednesday in response to Rahul Gandhi's recent 'Narender Surrender' remark. Union Minister Scindia accused the Congress of undermining India's global standing and questioning the credibility of its armed forces. Speaking to IANS, he said, 'What else is left to say about a political party that has already been rejected by the people of the country? The dignity and respect of the nation should be paramount.' He alleged that the Congress has stooped to a level where it seeks to embarrass India on international platforms and cast doubt on the strength and professionalism of the Indian military. The minister's remarks came in the wake of Rahul Gandhi's criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy and national security approach. Rahul Gandhi had used the phrase 'Narender Surrender' in reference to the government's handling of border tensions with Pakistan—a phrase that has sparked political controversy in the past. Scindia also defended India's military actions, including the 2016 surgical strikes, the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, and the recent Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror infrastructure across the border. 'When there was a surgical strike or the Balakot operation, they asked for proof. When there is Operation Sindoor, they question how many (fighter) planes crashed,' he said. 'It has become clear that the people of India are not concerned about a party that is not concerned about the pride of India.' Operation Sindoor, a recent cross-border counter-terror operation, has been hailed by the government as a demonstration of India's strategic resolve. However, opposition leaders have raised questions about transparency and outcomes, prompting strong rebuttals from BJP leaders. Scindia also criticised Congress leaders for making statements abroad that, he claimed, tarnish India's image. 'Which patriot goes outside the country and brings it down?' he asked, without naming Gandhi directly. The BJP has intensified its counteroffensive against the Congress ahead of the upcoming state elections, framing national pride and security as central campaign themes.
Indian Express
19 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Ludhiana villagers oppose Punjab govt's land pooling scheme for urban expansion, plan protest on Monday
A growing number of villagers in Ludhiana have come out strongly against the Punjab government's ambitious land pooling scheme, questioning the state's ability to develop new urban estates when several old colonies remain incomplete or abandoned for decades. Residents of Malak, Pona and Aligarh have announced that they will not give even an inch of their fertile agricultural land for the proposed urban expansion. A protest dharna has been called in Jagraon on Monday, with participation expected from multiple villages. In Ludhiana, around 32 villages are being affected due to this proposed land pooling scheme. At a meeting in Chandigarh last month, the villagers had announced their opposition to the landpooling scheme. Didar Singh Dhillon, a resident of Malak village in Jagraon, pointed to the defunct Jagraon sugar mill as a classic example. 'This cooperative mill was closed down in the mid-1990s. In 2009, the then SAD-BJP government decided to convert its 113 acres into a residential colony under the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA). Many plots were auctioned but today the colony lies abandoned — only three-four houses have come up. People can't even resell their plots and there are hardly any buyers, and many remain unauctioned,' Dhillon said. He added, 'Now under the new land pooling scheme, the Punjab government plans to acquire over 24,000 acres in Ludhiana alone, including nearly 350 acres from our village. How can we trust them with new estates when the old one in our backyard about 4 km away remains a ghost colony?' Neighbouring Pona and Aligarh villages face similar concerns, with about 250 acres of land collectively earmarked for acquisition under the same scheme. Balwinder Singh from Bhanohar village in Dakha constituency said villagers feel betrayed by repeated promises that have failed to show any result. 'Our village alone has a private PUDA-approved colony spread over 100 acres that has been abandoned for more than 10 years. Investors' money is stuck. Not just this — even reputed developers' colonies in South City, one of Ludhiana's most posh areas, are still not 100 per cent occupied,' he said. 'The City Centre project in a prime location of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar in Ludhiana district is in limbo due to legal disputes for more than 15 years now. On Rani Jhansi Road in Ghumar Mandi, a multi-storeyed government commercial building lies unused while private buildings nearby are thriving. The list is long,' he said. Singh argued that instead of acquiring more prime agricultural land, the government should focus on providing facilities and clearances for pending projects and help clear the huge backlog that has left hundreds of investors in limbo. On Tuesday, villagers from Malak, Pona, and Aligarh held a joint meeting to chalk out their protest strategy. 'We have decided not to give our land under the so-called voluntary land pooling scheme. Anyone who wants to support the ruling AAP government can snap ties with us — we have told them categorically,' Dhillon said. Harpreet Singh, Jagtar Singh, and other local residents pledged full support to the July 7 dharna. According to villagers, the Punjab Government has issued advertisements in newspapers inviting voluntary acquisition of over 7,800 acres in the first phase, as part of its larger goal of urban development under the new land pooling policy. The scheme, which is being pitched as a 'win-win' model for both landowners and the government, aims to avoid litigation and ensure faster development of residential and industrial estates. However, the backlash highlights the deep mistrust that many villagers now hold after past experiences with incomplete colonies and stalled commercial projects. 'What's the point of building new cities on paper when old ones have turned into jungles?' asked Dhillon. Whether the government can win the villagers' confidence and move ahead with its plans will become clearer in the coming weeks — especially as more villages hold meetings and decide their stance on the so-called voluntary pooling process.
