CM should own responsibility

Rajahmundry, July 14: Squarely blaming Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for the stampede in which devotees were crushed to death at the Pushkar ghat, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that he should quit on moral grounds taking full responsibility of the incident.

“The Saraswathi ghat was reserved for VIPs but Chandrababu Naidu has opted to offer puja at the main Pushkar ghat and it was blocked for two-and-a-half hours for the devotees. When the barricades were removed there was sudden surge as the devotees were waiting for long,” the leader of opposition said here on Tuesday.

There was no need for Chandrababu Naidu to be at the pushkar ghat which is meant for general public as separate arrangements were made at the Saraswathi ghat for VIPs. For the sake of publicity or whatever, he opted to offer puja at the main ghat which is meant for general public.

With Chief Minister at the main ghat, officials became over cautious and blocked all the ways as devotees, who came for far of places became restless as it was 2.5 hours after sunrise and there was no let up by the officials.

Once the barricades were opened they rushed in like a surge resulting in the stampede in which scores are killed and injured.

“The ordering of a judicial inquiry is just an eye wash. You cannot bring the visiting devotees as witnesses. Chief Minister should own responsibility and quit,” he said.
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