TNI Bureau: In a significant political development, a 49-member delegation of the united opposition in Odisha submitted a memorandum to the Governor at Lok Bhavan, demanding immediate action over the tragic fire incident at Cuttack’s major government hospital that claimed 13 lives.
The delegation, comprising leaders from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Congress, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) Liberation, Forward Bloc, Samajwadi Party, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), Samata Kranti Dal, and RJD, sought strict action against all officials responsible for the incident.
Prominent leaders present included BJD senior vice-president Devi Prasad Mishra, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das, CPI state secretary Dr. Prasanta Kumar Mishra, CPI(M) state secretary Suresh Chandra Panigrahi, and several other senior leaders across party lines.
In the memorandum, the opposition termed the deaths as a “systemic failure amounting to institutional killing” and demanded the immediate dismissal of the state Health Minister. They also called for the arrest of the hospital superintendent and other responsible officials.
Among key demands were a judicial inquiry led by a High Court judge with a time-bound report, compensation of ₹1 crore for each deceased’s family, government jobs for one family member, and free, advanced treatment for the injured.
The opposition further urged the government to conduct immediate fire safety audits in all government hospitals to prevent such tragedies in the future.
