Opposition holds government accountable for New Delhi station stampede, cites ‘negligence’ in crowd management

A tragic event took place late Saturday night at the New Delhi railway station, where at least 18 individuals, primarily women and children, perished in a stampede. The calamity occurred as a large crowd tried to board special trains heading to the Maha Kumbh mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.

Witnesses reported chaotic situations at the station, mentioning poor crowd control and last-minute alterations to train schedules and platforms as significant factors that led to the disaster. This incident represents the second major catastrophe associated with the Maha Kumbh, following a prior stampede at the mela itself that resulted in approximately 30 deaths only weeks earlier.

In the wake of the event, political figures offered their sympathies to the victims and the injured, while the opposition accused the BJP-led central government and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw of responsibility for the incident.

Opposition’s Reaction

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed profound sadness regarding the incident, labeling it “extremely sad” and “distressing. ” He criticized the government, asserting that the stampede illustrated a “failure” of the railway system and the authorities’ “insensitivity. ”

“Considering the vast number of devotees traveling to Prayagraj, enhanced arrangements should have been implemented at the station. The government and administration must guarantee that no one loses their life due to mismanagement and negligence,” he posted on X.

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati similarly condemned the railway authorities, attributing the tragedy to their “grave negligence” and calling for strict measures.

“Because of the railway’s severe negligence, amid the crowd that assembled at New Delhi Railway Station to attend the Prayagraj Mahakumbh, a stampede occurred, resulting in numerous fatalities and injuries, an occurrence that is profoundly tragic. My deepest sympathies go to the victims. The government ought to take action against those accountable and provide full support to the victims,” she stated.

AIMIM President and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi deemed the tragedy “avoidable” and accused the BJP government of trying to conceal it.

“This is what needs to be accomplished instead: 1. The appointment of an independent, judicially-monitored SIT to investigate the tragedy, 2. An independent investigation into the systemic failures of the Indian Railways. Indian Railways is essential for millions of Indians; it does not deserve the mismanagement of the Modi government,” he posted.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi made a direct comment on Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, stating in a post on X that his “train of conscience left the station long ago. ”

In another post, she expressed concerns regarding the frequent railway incidents and questioned the absence of accountability.

“How many derailments, accidents, stampedes, lives lost, passenger fares increased, and passengers enduring inhumane travel will it take for accountability to be sought? ” she wrote.