Indian Minister Collapses During Speech Amidst Extreme Heat Wave
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari collapsed on Thursday while delivering a speech in support of an election candidate in the western state of Maharashtra, where temperatures have been soaring amidst an ongoing heat wave.
The incident occurred during a live broadcast of Gadkari’s speech on his social media accounts. He was seen stumbling and collapsing on stage, prompting attendees to rush to his aid. Gadkari was carried away for first aid but returned to the platform shortly afterwards to finish his address.
In a subsequent post on social media, Gadkari clarified that he had felt discomfort due to the intense heat at the rally and that he was in good health. The heat wave has gripped several parts of India, with temperatures reaching near-record highs. According to the national meteorological authorities, the extreme heat is expected to continue over east and south peninsular India for at least the next five days.
The heat wave has also raised concerns about its impact on the ongoing general election in India. The first phase of voting was held on April 19, with a lower-than-expected turnout attributed to the extreme heat. The Election Commission of India has announced steps to mitigate the effects of the heat in the remaining six phases of polling, including the formation of a taskforce to monitor heat waves and humidity.
Voting will continue until June 1, with the results scheduled to be announced on June 4.
