BJD Demands Judicial Probe into Rath Yatra Stampede, Blames Government Mismanagement

Bhubaneswar, July 4 — The Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday demanded a judicial inquiry, supervised by a sitting judge of the Orissa High Court, into the alleged mismanagement during this year’s Rath Yatra in Puri, which led to the death of three devotees and left over 750 injured in a tragic stampede incident.

A delegation of senior BJD leaders, led by former minister Debi Prasad Mishra, submitted a memorandum to Odisha Governor Kambhampati Hari Babu, urging him to intervene and ensure an impartial judicial probe into the tragedy. The party criticized the state government’s announcement of an administrative inquiry by the Development Commissioner, calling it “grossly inadequate” and lacking the seriousness the incident demands.

In the memorandum, the BJD squarely blamed the BJP-led state government for “callous and casual” handling of the grand festival, resulting in severe crowd control failures, traffic bottlenecks, stranded pilgrims, and obstructed emergency services. “Public safety was put at grave risk,” the party stated.

The BJD alleged that the indiscriminate issuance of over 10,000 cordon passes to BJP affiliates and supporters contributed directly to the crowd chaos. They further questioned the efficacy of the inter-ministerial group, headed by the Deputy Chief Minister and formed specifically to oversee Rath Yatra preparations, stating that it failed to monitor and implement crowd management protocols effectively.

Criticizing the prolonged absence of the statutory Managing Committee (MC) of the Shree Jagannath Temple for over eight months, the BJD said it disrupted crucial decisions related to rituals, finance, and administration. As per the Shree Jagannath Temple Act, 1954, the MC plays a central role in organizing the Rath Yatra. “Its reconstitution is essential for upholding the sanctity and governance of the holy shrine,” the party demanded.

The memorandum also noted that despite repeated assurances by the Chief Minister and the Law Minister of a safe and divine experience for pilgrims, the on-ground reality was a stark contrast, resulting in loss of lives and large-scale injuries.

The BJD called for immediate accountability and justice for the victims through a high-level judicial probe, emphasizing that only such a step would ensure transparency and restore public confidence.