Ten opposition parties, including the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), staged a massive joint demonstration at Lower PMG today to protest the alleged government negligence that led to the death of 13 patients in a fire at the Trauma Care ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital on March 16.
The protest demanded the immediate resignation of the Health Minister and accountability from the BJP-led “double engine” government for the tragic incident that has shocked the state.5
In a strongly worded statement read out by senior BJD leader Devi Prasad Mishra during the dharna, BJD president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik expressed deep anguish over the loss of innocent lives.
“Every life is precious to me. Thirteen innocent lives from my Odisha soil have been lost due to government negligence in a prestigious institution like SCB Medical College and Hospital. How can I remain silent? How can we remain silent?” Patnaik said.
He added that the fire not only claimed lives but also destroyed the dreams of the victims’ families and severely eroded public trust in the state’s healthcare system. “The pride of SCB Medical College, the reliability of health services in Odisha, and the faith of four and a half crore Odias are now in crisis,” he remarked.
Patnaik sharply questioned the accountability of the ruling BJP government, which often projects itself as a “government of the people.” “Where has the responsibility of this double engine government gone, which beats the drum of being the people’s government? Where has the humanity of the ministers in the coalition government formed with the massive support of Odias gone?” he asked.
He warned that the BJP government cannot escape its responsibilities by risking the lives of Odisha’s people and stressed that it must be held accountable. “The government will be forced to take responsibility. Until then, our fight will continue,” Patnaik declared, citing precedents from his own previous government where strict action was taken in similar sensitive cases.
The former Chief Minister also prayed that such incidents do not recur in the future and highlighted how the tragedy has shaken public confidence in major healthcare institutions.
The joint protest saw participation from various opposition parties, who united to condemn what they described as anti-people policies of the BJP government and the failure to ensure safety in government hospitals. The demonstration highlighted demands for fixing responsibility, improving health infrastructure, and preventing any repetition of such lapses.
