Bhubaneswar, June 28: Leader of Opposition and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed serious concern and anguish over the significant delay in pulling the Nandighosha chariot during this year’s Rath Yatra in Puri, describing the disruption as deeply disappointing for devotees across the world.

In a statement shared on social media, Patnaik refrained from directly blaming the administration but criticized the poor management that led to the delay, which saw Lord Jagannath’s chariot remain stationary at Singhadwar until 7:45 PM on June 27, barely moving a few meters throughout the day.

Referring to last year’s unsettling incident when Lord Balabhadra’s idol slipped during the Pahandi Bije at Adapa Mandap, Patnaik noted that the faithful had already been shaken. This year’s mishandling, he said, left lakhs of devotees disenchanted, with reports of hundreds being injured due to inadequate crowd management.

“May Mahaprabhu Jagannath forgive all those responsible for the terrible mess,” he wrote, urging the government to undertake deep introspection. Meanwhile, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan attributed the delay to an unprecedented crowd and the complex maneuvering of Lord Balabhadra’s chariot.

Despite the grandeur of the procession, none of the chariots reached the Gundicha Temple (Sharadhabali) by Friday, raising serious questions about the festival’s planning and execution.

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