Bhubaneswar/Puri: In a fierce coordinated onslaught, the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress on Friday launched a scathing joint attack on the Mohan Majhi government in Odisha, accusing it of colossal administrative failure during the Rath Yatra in Puri.
The focal point of this sudden political storm is the unprecedented moment when Lord Jagannath was seen without his majestic ‘Tahia’ during the Pahandi procession on Thursday. Both opposition parties asserted that this ritualistic lapse and general mismanagement of the festival have deeply wounded the religious sentiments of millions of devotees worldwide.
Expressing deep anguish over the lapse, senior BJD leader Pramila Mallik pointed out that for centuries, regardless of heavy rains or severe storms, the deities have always emerged fully adorned with their magnificent floral headgear. The BJD leaders strongly rejected the official explanation provided by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Chief Administrator, Arabinda Padhee, who claimed that the floral crown had become wet and heavy due to rain and had to be removed, questioning why the administration failed to safeguard the headgear when monsoon rains are an usual occurrence during the annual festival.
“This government has deeply hurt the sentiments of crores of Jagannath lovers. Pulling the chariots late and making the Lord appear without His sacred Tahia has left the deities stripped of His divine splendour. It is heartbreaking for every devotee,” she said.
The towering, intricate Tahia is meticulously crafted by the artisans of Raghav Das Mutt using cane, bamboo, and fresh flowers, and it forms an integral part of the deity’s majestic appearance during the procession to the chariots.
Echoing this criticism, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das accused the ruling BJP of treating religious institutions as political tools for optics rather than maintaining their spiritual sanctity, calling the incident a direct assault on the cultural core of Odisha. “I have known the Chief Administrator, Arabinda Padhee, since his student days. He is a clean, honest, and corruption-free IAS officer. He mentioned that delays occurred, creating unforeseen difficulties. But my question is Rath Yatra has been happening smoothly for generations; why did such mismanagement and delays happen now? This is completely unprecedented, unacceptable, and deeply painful for all of us,” he added.
Beyond the ritualistic controversies, the opposition has levelled accusations of total administrative collapse against the “Double-Engine” government. The BJD and Congress pointed out severe crowd management failures that led to tragic consequences. Though the state government denied reports of “stampede” after two devotees tragically lost their lives, the BJD highlighted major deficiencies in the local healthcare infrastructure, questioning why the Health Minister arrived hours late to visit the victims, and demanded that the state cover the expenses to move the severely injured to private trauma-care facilities in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Acting on directions from BJD President Naveen Patnaik, the party has demanded an immediate compensation of Rs 20 lakh for the families of the deceased.
The opposition attributed the breakdown to government’s preference for VIP culture over devotee safety. Both parties criticised the heavy influx of political guests, including Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, and BJP leaders from other states, claiming that the police force and administration were entirely diverted to secure VIPs rather than guiding the flow of common devotees.
Amid the criticisms, BJP MLA Saroj Pradhan strongly defended the government and temple administration, stating that the mega festival was executed successfully and smoothly. “This year’s Rath Yatra has undoubtedly been concluded with great success. The opposition will continue to criticise, but the truth is that nothing happens without the divine will of Lord Jagannath,” he told reporters.
The lawmaker praised the coordination between the state government and the SJTA. “Everything was managed beautifully. Millions of devotees were managed smoothly despite the rain. The government and the temple administration have carried out their responsibilities flawlessly. There is absolutely no room for doubt or criticism,” he added.
SJTA Chief Administrator Clarifies
Speaking to reporters, Padhee clarified the administration’s stance, emphasising the autonomy of the temple servitors (sevayats) in maintaining ongoing rituals and traditions. “Regarding the Tahia, this is entirely the decision of the servitors. The temple administration only oversees the processes. We had not issued any specific directives to remove it. This decision does not violate or diminish the sacred traditions in any way. The servitors themselves have communicated this to us, and we look at it with a positive perspective,” he said.
Servitors Speak
Daitapati Nijog Secretary Ramakrishna Dasmohapatra stressed that the weight of the Tahia had increased significantly due to heavy rainfall, and it had to be removed to prevent any delay in the Lord’s journey to the chariot.
Senior servitor Binayak Dasmohapatra said: “The Tahia was completely secured at the Chahani Mandapa. However, because of the heavy, continuous downpour, the delicate materials—mainly flowers, cane, and bamboo—became thoroughly soaked and extremely heavy. This excess weight, combined with the heavy swaying movement of the Lord during Pahandi, made the structure fragile, eventually causing it to break and slip off near the Anand Bazar area.”
He further stated that despite the mishap, there was no disrespect or lapse in devotion. “The heavy rain simply made it impossible to keep the giant, wet structure intact. Once the Tahia broke, the servitors had to carefully dismantle and remove the remaining parts to ensure the safe and smooth progression of Lord Jagannath to His chariot, Nandighosha,” he added.
Meanwhile, preparations are now underway for the Adap Mandap Bije, the grand procession of the deities into the inner sanctum of the Gundicha Temple, with heightened safety measures to ensure a smooth transition without any untoward incidents
