logo
Odisha stampede: Cong seeks CM's resignation; ₹50 lakh for kin of deceased

Odisha stampede: Cong seeks CM's resignation; ₹50 lakh for kin of deceased

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Monday demanded the resignations of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy CM Pravati Parida and Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, holding them accountable for the stampede in Puri that claimed three lives and left over 50 injured, a statement by the party said.
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.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

For first time, KRS dam full in June, Karnataka CM offers bagina
For first time, KRS dam full in June, Karnataka CM offers bagina

New Indian Express

time25 minutes ago

  • New Indian Express

For first time, KRS dam full in June, Karnataka CM offers bagina

MYSURU: In a moment soaked in history, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah offered bagina to the Cauvery at the Krishnaraja Sagara (KRS) Dam at 1.35 pm on Monday. This is the first time ever that the KRS dam, one of the state's lifelines, has reached its Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 124.80 ft in June itself, since it became operational in 1932. The district administration and Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd officials had put up stunning floral replicas of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and Sir M Visvesvaraya at the entrance of the dam, paying homage to the visionaries behind the reservoir. Women dressed in traditional attire participated in the Poorna Kumbha ritual, even as the red and yellow Karnataka flag fluttered along the dam and at Brindavan Gardens. The CM, along with his cabinet members and officials from Mandya and Mysuru districts, took part in the bagina ceremony. The bagina, a traditional offering of a saree, blouse piece, turmeric, vermilion, bangles, rice, flowers, and fruits, arranged on a bamboo tray, was let into the waters at the dam. Taking on opposition parties, Siddaramaiah said, 'There were 17 years when KRS didn't have water. When we were in power during drought years, they blamed Congress and me personally. But today, nature has answered those lies. This is proof that nature favours truth and hard work making this a historic day.' He asserted that opposition parties BJP and JDS should stop spreading lies and think that people are fools. Siddaramaiah said his government has sanctioned Rs 25,000 crore to irrigation projects which no previous government has done. 'How could such a large sum be allocated if the government was facing a financial crisis as claimed by opposition parties,' he asked. The government gives out Rs 19,000 crore annually as a pumpset subsidy to farmers, he said, stressing that Karnataka is the only state that is strictly adhering to the Fiscal Responsibility Act, while it has been ranked second in GST collection in the country.

Karnataka CM, DyCM show solidarity, claim govt is strong
Karnataka CM, DyCM show solidarity, claim govt is strong

New Indian Express

time27 minutes ago

  • New Indian Express

Karnataka CM, DyCM show solidarity, claim govt is strong

MYSURU: 'The Congress government will be in office for full five years like a rock. We are together, but a few are conspiring to plant differences between (Deputy Chief Minister) DK Shivakumar and I,' said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah here on Monday. He said the two are in good terms and will continue to remain united in future. They clasped their hands and raised them to express unity in front of media persons. Siddaramaiah said BJP leader B Sriramulu, who has been predicting the fall of the government, has lost both the Assembly and Parliament elections. He said BJP is a master of spreading lies. Refuting Assembly Opposition leader R Ashoka's claim that he will not inaugurate the Dasara festival, he said, 'I will do it.' Asked about AICC General Secretary, Karnataka in-charge, Randeep Singh Surjewala visiting Bengaluru, he said the central leader will interact with legislators and will focus on strengthening the organisation. Nothing much should be read into these meetings, he added. On the increasing incidence of heart attacks among youth in Hassan and other districts, he said the government will seek reports from experts and health department officials and take necessary action. On Maharashtra withdrawing its three-language order in schools, Siddaramaiah said the state will continue with its bi-lingual policy.

Crises in BJP, Congress may help JDS seize opportunity in Karnataka local body elections
Crises in BJP, Congress may help JDS seize opportunity in Karnataka local body elections

New Indian Express

time27 minutes ago

  • New Indian Express

Crises in BJP, Congress may help JDS seize opportunity in Karnataka local body elections

BENGALURU: With ruling Congress and main opposition BJP facing crises over the change in leadership, the regional party JDS is quietly organising its rank and file to make an impact during elections to local bodies, including BBMP, that are likely to be announced in November-December. To make the best of the present advantage and opportunity, JDS may even go it alone in the polls, party sources said. Its alliance partner BJP is struggling to put its house in order with the demand for a change in the state party president post. On the other hand, Congress is facing challenges with party MLAs openly expressing their displeasure over the functioning of the government and its ministers. JDS has now launched a 57-day membership drive, focusing on the Old Mysuru region, which has been its traditional Vokkaliga bastion, and North Karnataka, where party patriarch HD Deve Gowda and his grandson Nikhil Kumaraswamy are touring to garner support for the party, said Nagaraju, a party functionary. Nikhil told reporters in Mandya on Sunday, 'I don't agree that there will be a political revolution in the state (as predicted by Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna), but people will throw away the Congress government after it completes three years in office. I toured Raichur district and grasped the pulse of the people. Not only JDS workers, but every person in the state feels (Union Minister for Heavy Industries) HD Kumaraswamy should become CM in 2028.' Gowda's intervention to get the Centre to announce the minimum support price for mangoes, helping farmers, and Kumaraswamy's performance as a union minister to the satisfaction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have boosted the morale of party workers, party sources said. 'If Siddaramaiah steps down as CM, the government will get destabilised. But it is too early to predict whether Vokkaligas will rally behind Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar if he becomes CM,' said a JD(S) sympathiser, who is also a Vokkaliga. The priority of JDS is zilla and taluk panchayat polls to keep its base intact, especially in the Old Mysuru region and expand it across the state, another party functionary said. JDS Legislature Party leader B Suresh Babu said the party will have an edge in the local body polls because of the crisis in Congress. 'JDS is likely to continue its alliance with BJP and it will be decided ahead of polls. It will help both parties,' he added.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store