The Congress on Wednesday hit out at the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government over the stampede at the Sangam, with Rahul Gandhi saying that mismanagement and administration's special focus on VIP movement instead of common devotees were responsible for this tragic incident.
Gandhi also said "VIP culture" should be reined in and the government should make better arrangements to fulfil the needs of common devotees at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.
Multiple casualties were feared after a stampede broke out at the Sangam on Wednesday amid the ongoing Maha Kumbh, as millions of pilgrims turned up for a holy bath on Mauni Amavasya, officials said.
In view of the incident, the akharas called off their traditional 'Amrit Snan' for Mauni Amavasya, even as devotees in large numbers continued to take a dip at Sangam and other ghats in the Mela area.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the news of "many people losing their lives" and many people getting injured due to the stampede on the banks of the Tirthraj Sangam during the Maha Kumbh is extremely heartbreaking.
"Our deepest condolences to the families of the devotees and we wish for the speedy recovery of the injured," he said.
"Half-baked arrangements, VIP movement, paying more attention to self-promotion and mismanagement are responsible for this. Such arrangements despite spending thousands of crores of rupees are condemnable," the Congress chief said in a post in Hindi on X.
"Many important 'shahi snans' are still left, so the central and state governments should wake up now, and improve the system so that such unpleasant incidents do not happen in future," Kharge said.
"The arrangements for accommodation, food, first aid and movement of devotees etc. Should be expanded and VIP movement should be reined in. This is what our saints and sages also want," he said.
Kharge urged Congress workers to help the victims in every possible way.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said the news of "many people's death and many getting injured due to stampede in Prayagraj Maha Kumbh is extremely saddening".
"I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured.
"Mismanagement and administration's special focus on VIP movement instead of common devotees are responsible for this tragic incident," Gandhi said in his post on X.
Noting that there is still a lot of time left for Maha Kumbh with many more Mahasnans to be held, Gandhi said the government should improve the system to prevent a tragic incident like today.
"VIP culture should be reined in and the government should make better arrangements to fulfill the needs of common devotees," Gandhi asserted.
He urged Congress workers and leaders to help the affected families.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also expressed sadness over the incident.
"May God grant peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I wish for the speedy recovery of the injured," she said in a post on X.
The devotees visiting the Kumbh area were constantly complaining of the severe chaos but no attention was paid and administrative negligence was observed, she said in a post on her WhatsApp channel.
Priyanka Gandhi appealed to the government to airlift the injured and arrange for their immediate treatment.
"The deceased should be identified and sent to their families and immediate arrangements should be made keeping the convenience of the devotees paramount. The devotees are requested to perform the bath with patience and peace," she said.
"May Maa Ganga protect everyone," she added.
In a post in Hindi on X, Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, "The death of many devotees in the stampede during Kumbh bath in Prayagraj is very saddening. The kind of crowd that was there and the half-baked arrangements that were put in place, there was always a danger of such an accident happening," Khera said.
Many 'maha snans' are still left, so it is necessary that additional security forces be sent there and the responsibility of management be given to some other better administrator than Yogi Adityanath, Khera said and demanded that the movement of VVIPs be stopped.
Officer on Special Duty for the Mela Akanksha Rana said, "Some people have got injured and have been hospitalised after a barrier broke at the Sangam.We are yet to have the exact count of those injured".
The Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya is the most significant ritual of the Maha Kumbh and is expected to draw around 10 crore pilgrims.
This year, a rare celestial alignment called 'Triveni Yog' is occurring after 144 years, amplifying the spiritual significance of the day.
Around 2 am, the blaring sirens of ambulances and police vehicles rushing to the Sangam pierced through the continuous chants of mantras and shlokas echoing from loudspeakers across the Kumbh Mela area.
Those injured were taken to the central hospital established in the Mela area. Relatives of many injured also reached there, as did some senior administrative and police officials.
