Deadly Hospital Blaze Ignites Political Firestorm: Opposition Demands Resignations After 13 Perish at SCB
SCB Hospital Fire Tragedy Sparks Political Storm as Opposition Blasts Odisha Government Over ‘Criminal Negligence’
The tragic death of 13 people in a devastating fire at the SCB Medical College and Hospital has transformed into a high-stakes political battlefield. As grief turns to fury, opposition parties have launched a blistering attack on the state government, accusing the administration of “criminal negligence” and shielding senior officials from accountability.
‘Kumbhakarna’s Slumber’: BJD Slams Government Inaction
Leading the charge, BJD MLA Arun Sahoo accused the government of being in a “deep, Kumbhakarna-like sleep” while families mourn. Sahoo pointedly questioned the immunity enjoyed by the hospital’s Superintendent, suggesting an inappropriate proximity to the Chief Minister.
“Thirteen lives have been snuffed out, yet the real culprits remain at large,” Sahoo declared. “Why has no action been taken against the incompetent Superintendent? It is profoundly unfortunate that the Health Minister hasn’t had the moral decency to resign. Two fires have broken out at SCB, yet the government continues to treat safety with chilling indifference.”
BJP Defends: ‘Judicial Inquiry is Underway’
Responding to the onslaught, BJP MLA Irasis Acharya maintained that the administration acted with “unprecedented speed.” He noted that the Chief Minister visited the site immediately and that a judicial probe has already been commissioned.
“Action has already been taken against four individuals based on the Fact-Finding Committee’s preliminary report,” Acharya stated, highlighting the recent transfer of the DMET (Director of Medical Education and Training). He dismissed the opposition’s disruptions as “reprehensible,” urging them to engage in constructive debate rather than stalling Question Hour.
Congress Demands Heads Must Roll
The Congress party, however, remained unimpressed by the government’s reshuffle of mid-level staff. Congress MLA Ashok Das accused the state of “sacrificing small employees” to protect the powerful.
“The government is hiding its own failures by targeting subordinates while shielding those truly responsible,” Das argued. “Offering ex-gratia payments is not enough when 13 people are dead. We demand the immediate suspension of the Medical Superintendent and the resignation of the Health Minister. The House is being conducted in a reckless manner that ignores the gravity of this tragedy.”
As the Assembly remains deadlocked, the central question remains: will the judicial inquiry pinpoint systemic failures, or will the “filtering” of staff be the only consequence of Odisha’s worst hospital disaster in recent memory?
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