A Trinamool Congress Party minister in West Bengal on Monday denied reports of a stampede at Gangasagar and alleged that the Prime Minister’s Office went “against the federal structure of the country” by tweeting about it without confirming with the state government. “It is against the decorum and established protocol in the federal structure that the PMO tweeted about the death of pilgrims without confirming with the state administration that whether any stampede had really taken place,” Fire and Environment Minister Sovan Chattopadhyay (above left) told PTI.
The mayor of Kolkata claimed that some of the pilgrims had died a natural death amid reports of a stampede on Sunday evening. Earlier, officials from the TMC-led state government had denied reports of the stampede, though they announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased.
On Sunday, six people were killed and more than 10 others injured while trying to board a vessel to leave the island. After the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences for the bereaved families. He also announced Rs 2-lakh ex gratia for the families of those who were killed, while those who got injured in the incident will get Rs 50,000 each. The money will be provided from the Prime Minister’s National Relief fund.
Several thousands of pilgrims bathe in the Ganga river on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. Chattopadhyay said five ministers were ensuring proper facilities like food, shelter and transport for around 16 lakh pilgrims from Gangasagar.
Sunday’s incident followed the capsizing of a boat in the Ganga river in Bihar that killed at least 24 people.
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