New Delhi, June 30 (UNI) The Congress party strongly criticised the BJP-led Odisha government over the stampede during the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri, calling it a "clear failure of governance".
Senior party leaders Saptagiri Ulaka and Arabinda Das demanded that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi take moral responsibility for the incident and step down.
Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters here, Ulaka accused the state government of mismanaging the event, alleging that the Rath Yatra had been delayed due to the distribution of 5,000 cordoned-off passes to VIPs.
The Congress leader also slammed the promises made by the Odisha government to make the event "historic", with the introduction of high-tech features such as AI-controlled CCTV cameras and an integrated control system to ensure safety.
Ulaka claimed the reality was far from the assurances, with more than 700 devotees injured and seven tragically losing their lives in the stampede.
He further criticised the state administration, alleging that there was a lack of visible police presence to manage the crowd. He claimed that law enforcement's primary focus appeared to be on VIP security, leaving ordinary devotees vulnerable.
Holding the alleged "VIP culture" responsible for delaying the yatra, the Congress leader said that such an incident had never occurred before, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ulaka raised concerns over an alleged statement by the chief administrator of the yatra, who reportedly said the event had not resumed because "all devotees had not arrived". He questioned the meaning behind this statement, asking, "Which devotees were they waiting for?"
The Congress leader also referred to media reports suggesting that industrialist "Gautam Adani was expected" to attend the Rath Yatra, but only arrived the following day. He questioned whether the delay had been due to Adani's attendance, calling it a "deeply troubling precedent".
Ulaka emphasised that the Congress party would not treat the incident as a minor issue, stressing that it was not just about mismanagement but also about preserving the sanctity of a divine tradition and ensuring the safety of millions of devotees who participate in the event each year.
He called on the Odisha government to ensure proper arrangements for future events to prevent such incidents.
The Congress party also demanded that the families of the deceased be provided with a financial assistance of Rs 50 lakh, while those seriously injured should receive Rs 25 lakh in compensation.
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