Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on July 5, visited the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic Hathras stampede in Uttar Pradesh. The stampede, which occurred during a religious gathering led by self-styled godman Baba Bhole, resulted in over 100 fatalities, a majority of whom were women. Prior to his visit to Hathras, Gandhi stopped in Aligarh to meet with relatives of victims from that district. During his visit to Hathras, Gandhi interacted with the bereaved families, offering condolences and listening to their accounts of the incident. One family member described the chaotic scene, stating, “He asked us how it all happened. I told him while walking Baba asked the devotees, ‘Mere charno ki dhool lo’. After which people ran to touch his feet. They collided with each other and fell one upon the other… When my mother didn’t come home, we went to search for her. There were bodies covered in mud…”
Following his meetings with the victims’ families, Rahul Gandhi addressed the media, expressing his sadness over the tragedy and emphasizing the need for adequate compensation for the affected families. He stated, “It is a sad incident. Several people have died. I don’t want to say this from a political prism but there have been deficiencies on the part of the administration and the important thing is that maximum compensation should be given as they are poor families. I request UP CM Yogi Adityanath to provide compensation open-heartedly. If there is a delay in the compensation, it will not benefit anyone. I had a personal conversation with the family members of the deceased and they told me that there was no police arrangement. They are in shock and I just wanted to understand their situation…” Gandhi’s visit highlights the ongoing tragedy and the need for accountability and support for the victims and their families.
