Bhubaneswar, July 17: The Congress party has raised concerns regarding the crowd management during the Puri Rath Yatra following a tragic incident that occurred during the event. Lalji Desai, the AICC in-charge for Odisha, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, paying tribute to the deceased and wishing for the swift recovery of the injured. He stated that this unfortunate event highlights the need for the administration to implement more vigilant and effective measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
In a conversation with a news agency, Desai mentioned that he was present in Puri during the Rath Yatra and observed the arrangements closely. He clarified that he did not wish to politicize a religious event like the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, but it is essential to draw attention to the shortcomings in the administrative arrangements. It is the responsibility of any government, along with its police and administrative machinery, to ensure the safety of devotees during such large religious gatherings.
Desai claimed that barricades placed behind the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra were suddenly opened, causing a large number of devotees to surge forward simultaneously. He questioned the rationale and authority behind the decision to open the barricades, which led to a chaotic gathering of the crowd. He urged the administration to conduct a serious review of the entire incident. Millions of devotees from across the country travel to Puri to participate in the Rath Yatra, and he himself comes from Gujarat, where many people also wish to join the event. The Puri Rath Yatra is not only a focal point of faith for Odisha but for the entire nation, necessitating a special level of security and crowd control measures.
Recalling previous incidents of chaos during the Rath Yatra, Desai emphasized that the administration should have anticipated such challenges in advance. He expected that police would be adequately deployed on both sides, the pulling of the chariot would be organized, and the movement of devotees would be controlled to prevent any stampede-like situation. However, he noted that such effective arrangements were not visible on the ground. The administration should devise a comprehensive plan for the future, allowing devotees to stand at a safe distance on both sides as the Rath Yatra begins, eliminating the possibility of any stampede or accidents. The objective of the arrangements should not only be to control the crowd but also to ensure the safety and convenience of the devotees.
Desai acknowledged that the new government might lack sufficient experience in managing such large religious events, but he stressed the need for the administration to remain more vigilant in such circumstances. He stated that it would not be appropriate to directly blame any individual or department at this time. The most crucial aspect now is for the administration to learn from this incident and develop systems that ensure no devotee loses their life or gets injured in the future. He emphasized that with millions of devotees participating in national faith festivals like the Rath Yatra every year, safety and crowd management should be given the highest priority to prevent the recurrence of such tragic events.
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