As wheels turn, albeit slowly, during Rath Yatra in Puri, BJP govt faces the heat
A delay in pulling the chariot of Lord Jagannath, which only moved a few metres before the day ended, and apparent lapses in crowd management during the annual Rath Yatra in Puri have put the Odisha government in a spot, particularly as it aims to make the event 'incident-free' this year.
Despite the administration's claim of conducting all rituals on time on Friday, the three chariots couldn't be pulled even half the distance from Jagannath Temple to Gundicha Temple, a distance of around 3 km. The chariot of Lord Jagannath, the last to be pulled, moved only a few metres in a ritualistic manner. All three chariots reached Gundicha Temple, the deities' birthplace, on Saturday.
Odisha minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said the delay was due to an unprecedented turnout of devotees and due to Lord Balabhadra's chariot getting stuck while negotiating.
Officials acknowledged the massive surge in devotees hampered the coordination.
More than 200 attendees also fell ill due to high humidity and the swelling crowd; most were discharged after primary treatment at first aid centres near the Grand Road and in various hospitals in Puri. The hospitals and first aid centres reported cases of minor injuries, vomiting and fainting. 'There were no reports of casualties, devotees sustaining major injuries or requiring intensive care,' an official said.
The opposition stepped up its attack on the BJP government in the state for the 'terrible mess'. The opposition accused the government of issuing excessive cordon passes to the ruling party workers, leading to the chaos.
Stating that they don't intend to point fingers or blame the administration for the delay in pulling the Nandighosha chariot, former chief minister and leader of the opposition Naveen Patnaik said it's impossible not to voice their concern and anguish over how things unfolded.
'It's hard to forget how, last year, Lord Balabhadra's idol slipped during the Adapa Bije Pahandi – a moment that left countless devotees shaken. And now this year, we witnessed Nandighosha ratha still standing at the Singhadwar till 7:45 pm, only to move a few metres before the day ended,' wrote Patnaik on X.
Patnaik said the delay left the devotees 'disenchanted and disillusioned'. 'All we can do is pray: May Mahaprabhu Jagannath forgive all those responsible for the terrible mess that has overshadowed this divine festival this year. I hope it leads to deep introspection by all in government,' he posted.
The Congress also targeted the state government for the 'mismanagement'.
Odisha's law minister said there shouldn't be any politics over the issue as 'everything happens as per the Lord's wish'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
23 minutes ago
- United News of India
Odisha CM, Law Minister must resign for Rath Yatra chaos, mismanagement, demands BJD
Bhubaneswar, June 28 (UNI) Coming down heavily on the BJP-led Odisha Government for the "chaos and glaring mismanagement" during the observance of Rath Yatra at Puri, the Opposition BJD today said Chief Minister Mohan Majhi and Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan should own moral responsibility for the lapses and resign. The BJD also demanded the government must immediately disclose the official number of deceased and injured persons in the stampede that occurred. Stating that this year's Rath Yatra witnessed unprecedented disorder and mismanagement, BJD Vice President Pratap Jena said the spiritual emotions of millions of devotees who travelled from across the country and abroad to witness the divine Trinity have been deeply hurt. The government's assurance of a flawless Rath Yatra turned out to be "nothing more than an empty promise", he said. Pointing out the chaos in observance of the festival of the revered deities, he said Lord Jagannath's Nandighosha chariot did not move an inch until late evening, in "a serious breach of tradition". The chariots of Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra too failed to cross the Balagandi Chhak. Despite there being no provision to pull chariots after sunset, the chariot of Lord Jagannath was dragged forward by a few feet at 7:45 PM, only to symbolically fulfill ritual protocol — a move that hurt the religious sentiments of devotees, the senior BJD leader Jena said. Ironically both the Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple and Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan shied away from the responsibility by casually saying, 'it happened according to the Lord's will.' BJD strongly condemned "such irresponsible statements" and reminded the state government that it is their duty to conduct the Rath Yatra with discipline and dignity. Despite holding valid passes, journalists were denied entry into the cordon zone and were manhandled by police personnel assigned to cordon duty. Nearly seven–eight senior journalists were injured during this incident, he rued. He also stated that even with a large police presence, devotees were left unsafe during the chariot pulling, and the traffic system completely collapsed. With over 1,000 injuries reported, at least eight individuals were admitted to ICU, and reports of two or more deaths have surfaced, he said. He demanded the state government must immediately disclose the official number of deceased and injured persons. BJD further blamed the government's reckless distribution of record-high cordon passes for the chaos. Approximately 10,000 cordon passes were issued this year, many of which were distributed through party workers. Shockingly, two ministers alone issued 6,000 passes, leading to uncontrolled crowds breaching the cordon, significantly delaying the chariot pulling. Before the Yatra began, during the Anasara period, there were reports that a few Modak which were offered to the Lord were stolen. Notably, during last year's Rath Yatra, Lord Balabhadra's idol had fallen during the Pahandi ceremony, an incident that emotionally affected devotees worldwide. Till date, no report has been made public to that effect even after a year. UNI XC RN
Hindustan Times
32 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
SIR an attempt to bring NRC via backdoor: Trinamool Congress
The Trinamool Congress alleged on Saturday that the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision for the Bihar election is a ploy to surreptitiously introduce NRC. The Trinamool claimed that INDIA bloc parties will fight against the EC and the BJP government on this issue. Derek O'Brien Linking the EC's exercise for the Bihar election with the upcoming West Bengal election, Derek O'Brien questioned the timing of the EC's revision. 'Why is this exercise being done now? We have evidence explaining why it is being done now. It is because the BJP's latest internal survey for Bengal shows 46-49 seats for them if Assembly polls are held. In their desperation to change or attempt to change this, they are doing this. Where did we get this figure from? The AITC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee mentioned this number during his speech in Diamond Harbour a few days ago. That is where the number came from,' O'Brien said. He pointed out that West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was the first person to raise the EPIC issue and claimed that in Parliament, INDIA group sought an appointment with EC, but were not given one. Calling the SIR as a 'backdoor entry for NRC', O'Brien added, 'It is a sinister move! In 1935 under the Nazis, people were supposed to provide an ancestor pass, a proof of paper. Is this the new version of the Nazi ancestor pass? Where do we go from here?' Trinamool's Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose called the EC's revision of voter list as an 'important issue for democracy and transparent elections.' 'The BJP has a habit of misusing central agencies to target the Opposition. We are seeing this again, that through the ECI, the BJP is targeting the Opposition. Our Chairperson and CM Mamata Banerjee had raised this issue. On June 26, the ECI announced Special Intensive Revision (SIR) will be conducted for Bihar Assembly polls, but the real target is Bengal.' AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi also targeted the EC. 'The Election Commission is conducting NRC in Bihar through the backdoor. To be enrolled in the voter roll, every citizen will now have to show documents not only proving when and where they were born, but also when and where their parents were born. Even the best estimates state that only three-fourths of births are registered. Most government documents are riddled with errors. People in the flood-prone Seemanchal region are among the poorest; they can barely afford two meals a day. To expect them to possess their parents' documents is a cruel joke...,' he posted on X.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
41 minutes ago
- First Post
‘Utterly insane': Musk slams US Senate draft of Trump's Big Beautiful Bill as destructive
Elon Musk has hit out at Big Beautiful Bill in the US Senate, warning it could be 'destructive' to the country's economy and future industries, as lawmakers prepare for a crucial vote on the legislation. read more World's richest man and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has criticised the latest version of the tax and spending bill released by the US Senate, warning it would cause 'immense strategic harm' to the country. His renewed criticism comes just weeks after he and President Donald Trump publicly clashed over Musk's opposition to the so-called 'Big, Beautiful Bill' before later reconciling. Posting on X, Musk wrote, 'The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country!' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He added, 'Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.' The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country! Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 28, 2025 Musk's comments come as the US Senate prepares for a crucial vote on Saturday (local time). Republicans are racing to pass President Trump's bill—which includes tax cuts, spending reductions, and increased funding for deportations—before the 4th of July deadline. Republicans are using their majority in the Senate to push the bill forward despite strong opposition from Democrats. However, some Republican senators are hesitant to support it because it would cut funding for programmes like Medicaid, food stamps, and other social services. 'Big, Beautiful Bill' up for vote The latest version of the bill spans 940 pages and includes tax breaks, cuts to government spending on programmes such as Medicaid, and more funding for Republican priorities like national defence and deportations. This bill is a central piece of Trump's policy agenda and is now awaiting a vote in Congress. Trump has urged Republican lawmakers—who control both the Senate and the House of Representatives—to get the bill passed before the country's Independence Day on 4th July. Senators are working through the weekend to finalise the bill and send it back to the House for a final vote, while Democrats remain firmly opposed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
