As wheels turn, albeit slowly, during Rath Yatra in Puri, BJP govt faces the heat

Indian Express

16 hours ago

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'.