Odisha stampede: Congress demands CM quit, ₹50L aid

Bhubaneswar

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Monday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy CM Pravati Parida, and Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, holding them responsible for the recent stampede in Puri that killed three people and injured over 50.

The Congress also demanded ₹50 lakh ex gratia for the families of the deceased and ₹25 lakh for the seriously injured. The party called the state government’s announced ₹25 lakh compensation insufficient.

The tragic incident occurred around 4:20 am on Sunday near Shree Gundicha Temple during the Rath Yatra celebrations, when a massive crowd gathered near the chariots, leading to chaos.

Calling it a result of poor planning and mismanagement, the OPCC has demanded a judicial inquiry led by a sitting district judge, rejecting the current administrative probe headed by the development commissioner.

A Congress fact-finding team led by former OPCC president Prasad Harichandan visited the site and met the injured at the district hospital. The team alleged that two severely injured victims with crushed legs were discharged without proper treatment.

The party accused the state government of trying to downplay the incident and ignoring the plight of injured devotees. Congress further demanded that the judicial inquiry’s recommendations be implemented within 10 days after the ‘Niladri Bije’ ritual, which marks the end of the Rath Yatra.

Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka and leader Arabinda Das also addressed the media in New Delhi, highlighting the issue.