Kolkata, May 3 Trinamool Congress General Secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee, on Saturday, slammed the BJP government in Goa over the Shree Devi Lairai temple tragic stampede, saying that stampedes are common in BJP-ruled states.
“Deeply anguished by the tragic loss of six lives at the Sree Devi Lairai Temple in Goa. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured. Such tragedies had been common in BJP-ruled states,” said Abhishek Banerjee in a statement, posted on ‘X’.
He also criticised the BJP over its arguments of double-engine governments at the Centre and the states.
“From Hathras to Goa, the recurrence of such tragedies in Double Engine states reflects a disturbing pattern of administrative apathy,” Banerjee said.
He also urged the Goa government to conduct an impartial inquiry and ensure accountability for this preventable loss of life.
“Public safety cannot remain a casualty of systemic negligence,” said Banerjee.
Six people were killed and more than 30 were injured after a stampede took place during the Lairai Devi temple in Shirgaon village of Goa. The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday.
Preliminary reports suggest the overcrowding and lack of proper arrangements as possible causes behind the incident.
According to the eyewitnesses, the situation escalated after a part of the crowd lost control. Locals and the volunteers at the temple rushed to pull people to safety.
The stampede took place as thousands of devotees thronged the temple to witness and participate in the centuries-old ritual at the temple, where barefoot 'dhonds' walk across a bed of burning embers.
The stampede occurred when, at one point along the route, due to a downward slope, the crowd began moving rapidly all at once.
The Shri Lairai Yatra is held in North Goa every year, attracting more than 50,000 devotees.
--IANS
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