Bhubaneswar, June 29 (UNI) BJD President and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today blamed the Odisha Government’s blatant callousness for the tragic stampede at Saradhabali, which claimed the lives of three devotees.

Patnaik urged the state government to immediately implement corrective measures to ensure the smooth conduct of the upcoming key Rath Yatra rituals—Adapa Bije, Bahuda Yatra, and Suna

Besha.

In a post on social media platform X, Patnaik expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed to Lord Jagannath for the speedy recovery of those injured in the devastating incident.

The Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly remarked that today’s stampede—occurring just

a day after the government’s failure to manage crowds during the Rath Yatra, which left hundreds injured—has exposed the administration’s glaring incompetence in ensuring a safe and peaceful festival experience for devotees.

Citing eyewitness accounts, Patnaik said that the initial response to the tragedy came from the relatives of the victims, as no government personnel were present to control the surging crowd—highlighting a serious lapse in duty.

He further criticized the administration for attributing the inordinate delay in pulling the Nandighosh chariot on Rath Yatra day to the "will of Mahaprabhu (Lord Jagannath)," calling it a shocking excuse to mask the complete abdication of administrative responsibility.

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