Bhubaneswar, March 18: In a dramatic session at the Odisha Assembly on Wednesday, opposition parties BJD and Congress raised a ruckus demanding the resignation of Health Minister Dr. Mukesh Mahaling. This demand followed a tragic fire incident at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, which claimed the lives of 12 individuals.
During the question hour, opposition legislators stormed the podium of Speaker Surama Padhi, brandishing posters and chanting slogans. They accused the government of administrative negligence and insisted on the health minister’s resignation in light of the horrific incident at SCB Hospital.
The Speaker was compelled to suspend the house multiple times amid the uproar. In a symbolic gesture, BJD and Congress legislators conducted a mock funeral procession to condemn the state government’s alleged failure to prevent the devastating fire at SCB Hospital. They marched within the assembly premises, reiterating their demand for the immediate resignation of the health minister.
The protesting members called for a compensation of ₹1 crore for each victim’s family, criticizing the government’s proposed ex-gratia amount of ₹25 lakh as inadequate.
BJD President and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik remarked, “During our government, a fire broke out in a private hospital, and the health minister resigned on moral grounds. Yet, here we have so many deaths in a government hospital, and they refuse to hold the health minister accountable. Steps must be taken to improve healthcare and hospitals across the state.”
Meanwhile, senior Congress legislator Tara Prasad Bahinipati stated, “We established these facilities to save lives, but today, the state of medical services in Odisha is such that hospitals have become death traps. The public’s outcry is resonating throughout the state, yet the government remains deaf to it. Today’s ‘funeral’ symbolizes the people’s anger. The health minister must resign immediately.”
On the other hand, BJP legislator Manas Dutta expressed that while the fire at SCB Medical College was indeed a tragic incident, turning a human disaster into a political spectacle is highly reprehensible. He urged BJD and Congress members to maintain the dignity of the house, adding that the resignation of the health minister would not resolve the issue at hand.
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