Negligence & Mismanagement are Inexcusable: Kharge on Puri Stampede
In a recent tragic incident, at least three people lost their lives, and many others were injured in a stampede that occurred during the Rath Yatra in Odisha’s Puri. The Congress chief, Mallikarjun Kharge, has strongly condemned the incident and held the Odisha government responsible for the tragedy. In a statement, Kharge said that the negligence and mismanagement that led to this tragedy are inexcusable.
The Rath Yatra is an annual event that takes place in Puri, which is one of the four sacred dhams in Hinduism. The yatra is a significant event that attracts millions of devotees from all over the world. However, this year’s event turned out to be a disaster due to the sheer lack of planning and preparedness on the part of the authorities.
The incident occurred when thousands of devotees were trying to cross a narrow bridge to reach the Jagannath Temple complex. The bridge was not designed to handle such a large number of people, and the authorities were not prepared to handle the situation. As a result, a stampede broke out, causing chaos and panic among the devotees. The police and other emergency services were unable to respond quickly enough to the situation, making things worse.
Kharge’s statement came after a series of reports emerged about the poor management of the yatra. On Friday, at least 500 devotees were injured during the yatra, and many of them were left waiting for hours to receive medical attention. The incident has raised serious questions about the preparedness of the authorities to handle such large-scale events.
The Odisha government has been facing criticism for its handling of the yatra. The state government has been accused of not taking adequate measures to ensure the safety and security of the devotees. The authorities have been criticized for not providing adequate infrastructure, such as adequate bridges and emergency services, to handle the large number of devotees.
The incident has also raised concerns about the safety of the devotees. The authorities have been accused of not taking adequate measures to ensure the safety of the devotees, particularly during the peak hours of the yatra. The incident has also raised concerns about the role of the police and other emergency services in handling the situation.
In his statement, Kharge also mentioned that the tragedy follows reports of 500 devotees being injured on Friday during the yatra. He added that the negligence and mismanagement that led to this tragedy are inexcusable. He also urged the Odisha government to take immediate action to ensure that such incidents do not happen in the future.
The incident has also sparked off a debate about the lack of accountability in the state government. The opposition parties have been accusing the government of being responsible for the tragedy and have demanded an immediate investigation into the incident.
In conclusion, the stampede that occurred during the Rath Yatra in Puri is a tragic incident that highlights the negligence and mismanagement of the Odisha government. The incident has raised serious questions about the preparedness of the authorities to handle such large-scale events and has also raised concerns about the safety of the devotees. The incident is a stark reminder of the importance of accountability and transparency in governance.
