The Congress party on Sunday held the government responsible for the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station that claimed 18 lives, demanding the resignation or removal of Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate accused the administration of gross negligence, saying, “The railway minister must resign with immediate effect, or he must be removed.”
Congress Blames Administration for Stampede
The stampede, which occurred on Saturday, involved a massive rush of devotees heading to the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. Shrinate alleged that the administration failed to anticipate the surge despite knowing the expected crowd size.
“Among the deceased were children as young as seven and eight. What was their fault? Who is responsible for this massacre of devotees?” she asked.
She further claimed that approximately 1,500 general tickets were sold every hour at New Delhi Railway Station, yet no proper crowd management measures were in place.
“What were the arrangements? How many police and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel were deployed? Were announcements made to control the crowd? Or is it true, as some reports suggest, that the platform was changed at the last minute, causing panic?” she questioned.
Allegations of Cover-Up
Shrinate also accused the government of suppressing reports of the tragedy instead of taking responsibility.
“There are two Indias under this government—one where VVIPs receive special treatment at the Maha Kumbh and another where common people are left to be crushed,” she alleged.
She also referred to a similar incident on January 29 and claimed that such tragedies indicate that the government places no value on the lives of ordinary citizens.
Government Orders Probe
While the government has not responded to Congress’s accusations, the railway ministry released a statement attributing the stampede to a sudden surge of passengers that caused panic and led to several people fainting amid the “unprecedented rush situation.”
Additionally, a high-level probe has been ordered to investigate the incident, which reportedly occurred after two trains to Prayagraj were canceled, resulting in chaos on the platform.
Sources By Agencies