Power outage amid President Droupadi Murmu’s Speech Exposes Infrastructure Challenges in Odisha
Ten News Network
New Delhi (India), May 6, 2023: Unprecedented scenes unfolded during a speech by President Droupadi Murmu at Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University in Baripada, Mayurbhanj. The President’s address was abruptly interrupted by a power outage, plunging the entire auditorium into darkness for approximately nine minutes.
Undeterred, President Murmu gracefully continued her speech, relying on the limited light emanating from the podium. Despite the inconvenience, she wittily remarked, “The university is as much in the dark as its beauty.”
The Odisha Information and Public Relations Department later confirmed the power outage, expressing regret for the inconvenience caused. Tata Power North Odisha Distribution Limited’s CEO, Bhaskar Sarkar, clarified that the internal circuitry of the auditorium had tripped, absolving Tata Power of any responsibility.
The maintenance of the facility falls under the purview of IDCO, and while backup diesel generators were in place, they proved futile due to the circuit failure.
The incident drew severe criticism as it was deemed disrespectful for the President of India to deliver her speech in darkness. Former Odisha DGP Bipin Mishra highlighted the failure to make proper arrangements for uninterrupted power supply, labeling it a “shame.”
Scholars and attendees expressed their dismay, emphasizing that if the president cannot be provided with uninterrupted power, how can the same be expected of the general public?
The blame game ensued as no one took responsibility for the mishap, and criticisms were aimed at the power infrastructure of Odisha. The incident exposed the inadequacies of the state’s power system and left a lasting impression on both national and international observers.
Panchanan Kanungo, President of the Odisha State Electricity Consumers Association, lamented the treatment of the President, stating that the whole world witnessed the disregard shown to the country’s own leader.
