BJD submits memorandum to Odisha Governor demanding judicial probe into Puri stampede

Bhubaneswar, July 4 (IANS) The principal opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Odisha, Hari Babu Kambhampati, demanding a judicial enquiry, monitored by a sitting high court judge, into the tragic stampede at Saradhabali near Gundicha Temple on June 29, which claimed three lives.

The party expressed its displeasure over the state government’s decision to hold an administrative enquiry by the Development Commissioner of Odisha into the lapses resulting in the stampede incident.

“In view of these deeply distressing developments, while the State Government has announced an administrative enquiry by the Development Commissioner, we believe this is grossly inadequate and not commensurate with the seriousness of the tragedy. We therefore humbly urge the immediate initiation of a judicial enquiry, monitored by a sitting Judge of the Hon’ble High Court of Orissa, to ensure full accountability and justice for the victims,” BJD demanded.

Seeking the Governor’s personal intervention, the BJD urged Kambhampati to oversee the remaining events of the Rath Yatra to prevent any further mismanagement and give the devotees, Sevayats, and the sanctity of this sacred festival.

The party, through the memorandum, has tried to draw Governor Kambhampati’s kind attention to the ‘severe mismanagement’ and ‘serious lapses’ during this year’s Rath Yatra. It alleged that these lapses resulted in a tragedy of ‘historic proportions’.

“The Biju Janata Dal intends to bring to your kind attention a series of grave incidents that occurred during this year’s Rath Yatra, which have deeply hurt the sentiments of Lord Jagannath’s devotees across the globe and raised serious concerns about the management of the world-famous Rath Yatra,” BJD further added.

The principal opposition party also alleged that due to the callous and casual attitude of the BJP-led state government, more than 750 devotees were injured, and tragically, three people lost their lives due to the stampede near Gundicha Temple.

The party also condemned the police's high-handedness against several eminent senior journalists, restraining them from covering the lapses by the administration during the Rath Yatra-related events.

The BJD termed it a direct attack on democratic values and press freedom. The Biju Janata Dal also raised the issue related to the pulling down of some servitors from the chariots while discharging their regular rites during the Rath Yatra this year.

“The entire Rath Yatra witnessed severe traffic and crowd mismanagement, resulting in bottlenecks, stranded pilgrims, and obstructed emergency services, putting public safety at grave risk.

"Additionally, the indiscriminate distribution of over 10,000 cordon passes by the ruling BJP party as alleged to its affiliates and supporters, far beyond practical limits, caused major disruption in crowd control and contributed directly to the unfortunate tragedy which was never seen before,” alleged BJD.

The main opposition party, in its memorandum, also noted that all these mismanagement, violation of rituals, chaos and stampede occurred this year despite multiple preparatory meetings at the Chief Minister’s level and the constitution of an interministerial group headed by Deputy CM Pravati Parida for proper management of the Rath Yatra.

The BJD also raised the issue of the non-formation of the Shri Jagannath temple managing committee, which plays a crucial role in key administrative and policy decisions at the 12th-century shrine for the last eight months.

--IANS

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