Nine days after a devastating fire in the Trauma ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack claimed the lives of 13 patients, the Odisha Legislative Assembly remains paralysed as opposition parties BJD and Congress refuse to allow the House to function.
The MLAs are demanding the immediate resignation of Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling on moral grounds.
The fire broke out on March 16 — the day of Rajya Sabha polling — and since the very next day, the opposition has been stalling proceedings. BJD and Congress legislators have repeatedly stormed the well of the House, raised slogans, and created uproar, making it impossible to conduct any business, including Question Hour and Zero Hour.
Opposition members pointed out that during the previous BJD regime, when a private hospital fire led to patient deaths, the then Health Minister resigned immediately, and hospital authorities were arrested and sent to jail. “Yet in this premier government institution like SCB, 13 lives have been lost, and no one is ready to take moral responsibility,” they alleged. They accused the government of shielding the Health Minister and the hospital superintendent, with no action taken against either.
On Tuesday, the ruckus began right from the start of the session. After the House was adjourned, BJD leader and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who was present inside, came out and reiterated the demand. “The heart-rending incident at SCB is extremely unfortunate. The Health Minister should immediately resign on moral grounds,” he said.
Patnaik also expressed disappointment that not a single central minister had visited Cuttack even nine days after the tragedy. “When a similar fire occurred in a private hospital during our time, many central ministers came immediately. This shows the level of sensitivity the central ministers have towards the people of Odisha,” he added.
The opposition has made it clear that the Assembly will not be allowed to function until the Health Minister tenders his resignation.
