A day after three people were killed in a stampede during a blanket distribution programme in West Bengal's Paschim Bardhaman district, BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh on Thursday said organisers of the event cannot escape responsibility for the tragedy. The incident had taken place shortly after Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who was part of the function, left the venue.
"It is very easy to make the poor people of our state assemble at a spot for either giving money as allowance or for handing blankets. "It is one thing to put the entire blame on police... But, organisers have to play their role. They cannot escape responsibility (for the stampede),” Ghosh told reporters. Several BJP leaders from Asansol were reportedly a part of the programme, which was organised by a religious body.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh on Thursday said Adhikari was largely responsible for the stampede incident. "Once he left, people rushed towards the stage as the number of blankets was far lesser than the number of recipients in the gathering. Suvendu should explain why he went to such a narrow plot of land, where the seating capacity was not enough. He has become desperate after the high court said nothing can be done against him without judicial consent," Ghosh told a press meet.
The Calcutta High Court had recently taken note of the submissions of Adhikari and stayed nearly 17 FIRs against him lodged by the state police. The court had directed the state police not to register any FIR against Adhikari without its prior permission. Adhikari had on Wednesday night expressed sorrow over the incident on Twitter.
“When I was present at the venue, the arrangements made by the local police were satisfactory.... After I left the venue, the arrangements made by the police were withdrawn. Even the civic volunteers were asked to leave the venue by their superiors,” he said. He, however, said he was not blaming anyone for this “horrific incident” and the deaths and injuries are “absolutely unfortunate, sorrowful and tragic".
