In a significant show of solidarity with Odisha amid a major healthcare crisis, all MPs from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) have declined an invitation to attend a breakfast meeting hosted by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The decision was conveyed by BJD’s parliamentary leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Sasmit Patra, who informed Pragativadi that the party’s parliamentarians would not be participating in the event. The breakfast meeting, part of a series of interactions President Murmu has been holding with MPs from various states to discuss regional development and governance issues, was scheduled for representatives from select states, including Odisha.
The move comes in the wake of a devastating pre-dawn fire in the ICU ward of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, which tragically claimed the lives of 10 patients and left others injured. The incident, reportedly triggered by an electrical fault, has sparked widespread outrage over the state of public healthcare infrastructure and prompted calls for immediate accountability and reforms.
Former Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik expressed deep sorrow in a post on X (formerly Twitter), offering condolences to the bereaved families and urging the state government to provide top-tier treatment to the injured. He also instructed local BJD leaders, including the Cuttack Mayor and Tangi-Choudwar MLA, to reach the site and extend immediate assistance.
Sources close to the BJD indicated that the party’s MPs, including those who had previously expressed intent to prioritise local emergencies, collectively chose to focus on supporting affected families, coordinating relief efforts, and pressing for swift investigations rather than attending the ceremonial engagement in the national capital.
BJD’s RS MP Manas Mangaraj also took to his X handle and wrote: “Hon’ble President Droupadi Murmu had graciously invited all MPs from Odisha for a breakfast meeting. While expressing my sincere gratitude for her kind and thoughtful invitation, I conveyed my inability to attend in view of the tragic ICU fire at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, which has claimed at least ten precious lives. This heartbreaking tragedy has deeply saddened me, and my conscience does not permit me to attend any such gathering at this moment. I mourn the innocent victims and stand in solidarity with the grieving families, praying for strength for them and a speedy recovery for those injured.”
As Odisha grapples with the aftermath of the fire and demands for systemic overhaul in hospital safety standards, the BJD’s decision underscores a message: for the party, the call of its people takes precedence over ceremonial invitations from the highest office.
