President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday expressed their condolences over the stampede at the Maha Kumbh and prayed for the recovery of those injured. Chief Ministers of several states also expressed their grief over the mishap.
Sources in the government said that PM and Shah have been monitoring the situation hourly basis since morning and engaged in conversation with Yogi several times during the day to take stock of the situation. Modi is scheduled to visit Mahakumbh for the holy dip on February 5.
“The stampede incident at Prayagraj Maha Kumbh is extremely sad. I express my condolences to the families of the injured devotees and pray to God that all the injured devotees recover soon,” President Murmu said in a social media post in Hindi.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed grief at the stampede and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Modi spoke to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath four time in three hours following the tragic stampede at the Maha Kumbh, where over two dozen people were injured and many were feared dead.
The Prime Minister reviewed the situation, called for immediate support measures, and assured continuous monitoring of developments.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also reached out to Adityanath and assured all possible assistance from the Central government. “The Centre stands with Uttar Pradesh in this hour of crisis and will provide all necessary support,” Shah said.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda, who is also national president of Bharatiya Janata Party, spoke to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and assured that the Centre would ensure all necessary medical aid for the injured. He also conveyed that BJP workers were prepared to assist the administration in managing the situation. In response, Adityanath informed Nadda that the district administration had brought the situation under control.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel also enquired about the prevailing situation and spoke to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath twice.
However, the administration faced sharp criticism from the Opposition parties and religious leaders over security lapses.