'Mismanagement due to VIP culture': Congress hits out at UP govt over Maha Kumbh stampede

Guwahati, Jan 29 (PTI) Criticising the Uttar Pradesh government, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate on Wednesday alleged that mismanagement due to "VIP culture" is the reason for the stampede at Maha Kumbh that killed at least 30 people.

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, she also took on the BJP over the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), calling it a "hot air balloon" flown by the party to divert people's attention from "real issues".

"Mismanagement due to VIP culture is the reason why the stampede took place. This VIP culture at Maha Kumbh must end. People go there to offer prayers, but this VIP culture creates problems for the common man," she alleged.

At least 30 people were killed and 60 others injured in the stampede that broke out at the Maha Kumbh Mela in the early hours.

The pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh broke out as crores of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days.

Shrinate claimed the government had not done any consultation with stakeholders on the UCC.

"UCC is a hot air balloon for BJP to divert public attention from the real issues. Not a single draft on UCC has been shared with the opposition. There has been no consultation with the stakeholders," she claimed.

"BJP does not realise that India is a beautiful bouquet, but not of a single colour. Any attempt to paint us in a single colour will face strong protest from the opposition," she asserted.

Shrinate also criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for stating that UCC will be rolled out in the state once it is implemented in the country.

She claimed that Sarma wanted to divert people's attention from the "mass exodus of youths due to unemployment, illegal mining and rampant corruption" in the state.

Uttarakhand on Monday became the first state in India to implement the UCC, which applies to all residents of the state irrespective of their religion, and banned polygamy and child marriage.

The Act, however, does not apply to the Scheduled Tribes notified under Articles 342 and 366 (25) of the Constitution and persons and communities protected under Part XXI.

The Congress leader also slammed the BJP-led government in the state over illegal rat-hole mining.

"Despite a ban by the NGT and Supreme Court, rampant illegal coal mining is going on in all places. The Assam CM is focused only on making him and his family rich. He only talks big about corruption on social media," she alleged.

Over 5,000 people within Assam migrate from one place to another to work in the illegal rat-hole mines and the police response against this is "shameful", Shrinate claimed.

At least nine labourers were trapped inside the 3-Kilo Coal Quarry in the Umrangso area on January 6 after a sudden gush of water flooded the site. The bodies of four miners were retrieved, while five are still missing in the illegal rat-hole mine.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned rat-hole mining in 2014. However, coal is still extracted using this dangerous method in the Northeast. PTI TR TR SOM