&w=3840&q=100)
Odisha stampede: Cong seeks CM's resignation; ₹50 lakh for kin of deceased
The party also demanded ₹50 lakh ex gratia for each of the deceased devotees and ₹25 lakh for those seriously injured.
While Majhi had announced ₹25 lakh ex gratia for the families of the deceased, the Congress said the amount was insufficient.
Three persons, including two women, were killed and over 50 others injured in a stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in Odisha's Puri early Sunday during a ceremony related to the ongoing Rath Yatra festivities.
The incident took place around 4.20 am when thousands of devotees had gathered near the chariots parked in front of the temple.
Calling the tragedy a result of gross mismanagement, the party has demanded a judicial inquiry led by a sitting district judge, rejecting the state government's administrative probe headed by the development commissioner.
A fact-finding OPCC team led by former party president Prasad Harichandan visited the holy town on Sunday to conduct an inquiry into the stampede incident.
The team visited the spot and met the injured persons being treated at the district headquarters hospital.
"The team was shocked and saddened to learn that two critically injured patientswhose legs were reportedly completely crushedhad been discharged without proper treatment," the party said in a statement on Monday.
The team alleged that the government was making all efforts to downplay the incident while turning a blind eye to the treatment of the injured devotees, it said.
The party insisted that the judicial inquiry's recommendations be implemented within 10 days of the Niladri Bije' ritual, the return of the deities to the main temple, marking the conclusion of the Rath Yatra.
Meanwhile, Congress MP from Odisha, Saptagiri Ulaka, and leader Arabinda Das addressed a press conference in New Delhi on the same incident.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
13 minutes ago
- The Hindu
New projects on the Godavari justifiable only after share of surplus waters is decided, says Telangana Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka
New projects on the Godavari being planned by Andhra Pradesh will be justifiable and fair only after the surplus river waters are shared between the two Telugu States, asserts Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka. The Congress leader was in Visakhapatnam on Sunday to participate in the party's nation-wide 'Vote Chori' campaign against the alleged theft of votes. Responding to the media queries on the dispute over Andhra Pradesh's proposal to construct Banakacherla project, Mr. Bhatti Vikramarka said the people of Telangana had fought and achieved a separate State to enjoy their rightful share in the river waters. 'It is justifiable to build new projects only after the share of surplus waters is decided after the ongoing projects such as Indira Sagar, Rajiv Sagar, and Devadula are completed and water allocations made to them. The onus of deciding the share of surplus water rests with the Centre,' he said. Dismissing any differences within the Telangana Congress in the wake of MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy's recent remarks against the Chief Minister, Mr. Bhatti Vikramarka said, 'Mr. Rajagopal Reddy too wants the Congress to be strong in Telangana. The party is very strong in Telangana, and in Andhra Pradesh, it will strengthen its base in the future. At the national level too, the party will flourish and Rahul Gandhi will become the Prime Minister.' On the alleged theft of votes, he said deletion of votes was tantamount to curbing the rights of the people. At a separate media conference, Congress Working Committee member Gidugu Rudraraju said the party would stage protests in all the 175 Assembly constituencies from Monday against the 'theft' of votes.
Hans India
13 minutes ago
- Hans India
BJP counters Congress allegations on voter rolls, says Rahul Gandhi peddling ‘lies'
The BJP on Sunday launched a sharp counterattack on Congress and RJD over their allegations of electoral roll manipulation, with party leaders dismissing Rahul Gandhi's charges as 'baseless lies' aimed at undermining democratic institutions ahead of the Bihar elections. BJP national spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam, speaking to IANS in Mumbai, said the Election Commission (EC) is an independent body and should not be dragged into partisan politics. 'The Election Commission is an independent body, and all institutions and political parties are equal before it. It works independently without any interference. Making such allegations against it is wrong. The EC has clearly stated that if you make false accusations, provide evidence. If there is no proof, then go to court. Without evidence, such claims are understood to be baseless,' Islam said. On Rahul Gandhi's Voter Adhikar Yatra, Zafar Islam took a dig at the Congress leader. 'Wherever Rahul Gandhi has gone, Congress has faced a complete wipeout. Now that he has stepped into Bihar, Congress is set to face the same fate here as well,' he remarked. In Patna, BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain lauded the EC's detailed press conference on Sunday, saying it had given a 'strong response' to those 'creating unrest.' 'The names that were supposed to be collected have been collected, and if any names are still pending, there is still time to submit the forms,' Hussain told IANS. The saffron party also intensified its digital offensive, with BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari posting a point-by-point rebuttal on X to counter Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's claims. Bhandari accused Rahul Gandhi of 'destroying public trust in elections by peddling lies' and challenged him to file an affidavit under oath if he truly believed in his allegations. The BJP's aggressive rebuttal indicates it is unwilling to cede ground on the election integrity debate, with leaders accusing the Congress of deliberately sowing doubts ahead of the Bihar polls.
Scroll.in
43 minutes ago
- Scroll.in
EC should respond, not me: BJP MP Suresh Gopi on alleged Thrissur voter list manipulation
Union minister Suresh Gopi said on Sunday that it was the Election Commission that should respond to allegations of voter list manipulation in Kerala's Thrissur during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and not him, The Hindu reported. His remark came amid the Congress alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party MP had submitted a false declaration for him to be included in the voters' list for the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency during the 2024 general election. The Congress has also alleged large-scale irregular enrolment of voters in the constituency ahead of the polls, Mathrubhumi reported. The Congress has also filed a police complaint against Gopi. The BJP had secured its first-ever Lok Sabha seat in Kerala with Gopi's victory in Thrissur last year. The actor-turned-politician defeated VS Sunilkumar of the Communist Party of India by more than 74,600 votes. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Gopi claimed that it was the chief election commissioner who should respond to doubts raised about the electoral process, The Hindu reported. 'Why didn't I respond [to the allegations]? Because it is not my responsibility,' he said. 'I am a minister, and I have fulfilled my duties. Those who must reply will reply. If you have more questions, ask them – or wait until the matter comes before the Supreme Court.' Gopi added: 'A few monkeys have jumped out raising allegations. Go and ask them instead.' The allegations come after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on August 7 said that his party had spent six months examining the electoral rolls in Mahadevapura Assembly segment of the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency and found discrepancies in more than one lakh names. He alleged that this was evidence of the Election Commission having colluded with the BJP. The poll panel on Wednesday dismissed Gandhi's allegations as ' false and misleading '. In a social media post, the poll panel said that any correction, deletion or inclusion in the electoral roll can only be made as per the procedure laid down in law, and that no one can 'force' the removal of a person's name without following due process. 'If any such person actually believes in any of his analysis and allegations of wrongful inclusion of any names, there should be no problem for him in sharing such evidence with the ERO [electoral registration officer] along with the signed declaration and oath [under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960],' the poll panel added.
