new Delhi, Jul 05: Leader of Opposition and Congress MP from Rae Bareli Rahul Gandhi today visited the families of the people affected by the July 2 stampede. While going to Hathras, Gandhi also met the families of the victims in Aligarh. The stampede took place at a religious ‘Satsang’ event at Fulari village in Hathras in which 121 people were killed. After meeting with the Congress MP, a member of a bereaved family said that there was no proper medical facility or arrangements at the venue.
Speaking to the media after meeting the families, a cautious Rahul Gandhi blamed the administration for the stampede and did not utter any word against Sakar Vishwa Hari Baba. “It is a sad incident. Several people have died. I don’t want to say this from a political prism but there have been deficiencies on the part of the administration and the important thing is that maximum compensation should be given as they are poor families. I request Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath to provide compensation open-heartedly. If there is a delay in the compensation, it will not benefit anyone. I had a personal conversation with the family members of the deceased and they told me that there was no police arrangement.” Rahul Gandhi also assured help to the victims’ families. “He (Rahul Gandhi) assured us that he will help us in every possible way through his party. The administration at the ‘Satsang’ venue was not good. My sister-in-law could have been saved if there was a proper medical facility. There were no proper arrangements at the venue,” she said.
Nitin Kumar, the son of deceased Shanti Devi said that he went to the Satsang with his mother but got separated from her during the incident. “My mother died. Her name was Shanti Devi. We went to the Satsang together. We were separated during the Satsang. I came out of the event earlier. When the Satsang was over I heard that stampede had occurred. I went there to find my mother. After some time I came to know that my mother was taken to the hospital in the ambulance. My brother went to the hospital and saw that she was dead,” he said.
Reacting to the incident, Union Minister Nityanand Rai said, “…It is a very sad and sensitive incident that is being investigated thoroughly and whatever facts come out after the investigation, certainly the state government is keeping an eye on it and the PM is very sensitive towards such incident. The cooperation which should have been given by the Central Government has been provided at that time and whatever elements will come out in the investigation, the state government will act on that.”
On Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the site of the tragedy and ordered a judicial probe into the incident. A three-member Judicial Inquiry Commission, chaired by Justice (retd) Brijesh Kumar Srivastava, has been established to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation. The commission will examine the stampede incident over the next two months and submit its report to the state government. According to the initial report, the stampede occurred when devotees rushed to seek blessings and collect soil from around the preacher’s feet, but were stopped by his security personnel. This led to pushing and shoving, causing several people to fall and triggering chaos at the site.
