Cong demands Odisha CM’s resignation over Rath Yatra stampede

The Congress on Monday demanded the resignation of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, holding them responsible for the stampede during the Rath Yatra in Puri, which resulted in several deaths and injuries.

The party has also sought a judicial probe into the incident.

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“The BJP government turned Odisha’s holiest festival into a private event for billionaires, cronies, and camera crews, at the cost of ordinary devotees,” senior Congress leaders Saptagiri Ulaka and Arabinda Das alleged at a press conference.

“Our homes run on the blessings of Mahaprabhu Jagannath. But the homes of BJP leaders run on the blessings of Adani. For the BJP, Adani is bigger than Lord Jagannath,” they remarked, describing the incident as “desecration” and accusing the government of insulting the Oriya people.

A stampede took place during the Rath Yatra festivities in Puri, Odisha Sunday morning, resulting in three deaths and over 50 injuries. The incident has sparked widespread criticism across political spectrum citing gross mismanagement and alleging that the event was prioritized for VIPs, including distributing 5,000 cordoned-off passes.