CM Naveen Patnaik calls Kalahandi incident extremely distressing

     Bhubaneswar, August 26, 2016: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today termed the tribal carrying his wife’s body as “extremely distressing” and promised to take stringent action, but opposition Congress demanded resignation of his government claiming the incident has exposed the condition of Odisha.

     “This is extremely distressing news. We will make a thorough inquiry into it and whoever is found responsible, stringent action will be taken,” Chief Minister Patnaik told reporters after voices of concern were echoed all over the country over the Odisha incident, in which a person was forced to carry the body of his 42 year old wife on his shoulder to walk down to his village to perform last rite in Kalahandi district, which is one of the most backward region of the country and neighbouring to Chhattisgarh.

     The tribal Dana Majhi has said despite his all-out efforts, he could not get any help from the hospital authorities after his wife Amang Dei died of tuberculosis on Tuesday night at the district headquarters hospital at Bhawanipatna. Due to lack of help from authorities he wrapped his wife’s body in cloth and started walking to his village Melghara in Rampur block which is about 60 km from the district headquarters hospital.

     “I told the hospital authorities that I am a poor man and cannot afford a vehicle. Despite repeated requests, they said they cannot offer any help,” Majhi told a local television channel. Majhi’s daughter accompanied him till some local reporters spotted the duo. They called up the District Collector and arranged for an ambulance for the remaining 50 km of the journey.

     The Odisha Human Rights Commission has also taken cognizance of the incident and issued notices to the Kalahandi District Collector Brunda D and the Chief District medical Officer (CDMO) Dr Braja Kishor Brahma.

     Meanwhile, Kalahandi District Collector Brunda D said they have not yet given any one clean chit over the incident although the local administration has reportedly submitted its preliminary report on the incident to the authority.

      Agitated over the incident, Congress workers today staged a demonstration in front of the Kalahandi District Hospital at Bhawanipatna, where the incident took place. And similar demonstration was also carried out at capital Bhubaneswar also by other political parties.

     Meanwhile, opposition Congress today demanded resignation of the Naveen Patnaik government stating the incident has exposed the actual condition of Odisha. Naveen Patnaik led Biju Janata Dal has owns the last four successive elections in Odisha to rule the state.

     The incident was condemned by all, locally and nationally as dignity was denied to the tribal woman even after her death, where all the governments have been claiming several schemes for the tribals and dalits.