Congress Postpones Election Campaigns In UP, Urges EC To 'Cancel Big Rallies' In View Of Third Covid Wave

This comes as a stampede-like incident took place during the marathon organized by the grand old party in Bareilly earlier on Tuesday.

New Delhi: In view of steady increase in Covid-19 cases, the Congress party has postponed its ‘Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon’ marathon in Uttar Pradesh.

The Congress had planned to organize seven to eight marathons in the coming days in Noida, Varanasi and various other districts of the state, news agency ANI reported.

This comes as a stampede-like incident took place during the marathon organized by the grand old party in Bareilly earlier on Tuesday.

At least three girls were injured with the officials claiming that the attendance at the marathon was significantly larger than authorised.

“Permission was given for 200 children. However, the number of those who actually turned up for the event was much higher,” PTI quoted city magistrate Rajiv Pandey as saying.

Assuring action against those responsible, the city magistrate said that the matter would be properly investigated.

“What led to the near stampede-like situation? What was the laxity? How a large number of children gathered there and the permission given by the higher education department are some of the aspects that will be probed,” Pandey said.

The videos of the event showed Covid-19 protocols being completely overlooked as none of the girls were seen wearing masks or maintaining social distancing.

Lambasting Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, the Congress party blamed the district officials for negligence.

Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh alleged that the incident was the result of a “conspiracy” hatched by the ruling BJP in the state.

“The district administration knew that the run was being held and did not cooperate,” Singh said.

The BJP on its part took potshots at Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and alleged that the Opposition was using girls as “pawns” in its “petty politics”.

With the stage set for the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress has been organizing the marathon as part of the women-centered poll campaign in the politically crucial state.

The Congress, which is hoping to connect with the women voters of Uttar Pradesh courtesy this marathon, failed to make an impression in the 2017 assembly elections and managed to win only seven seats.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee has written to Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra “to cancel big rallies” in view of the anticipated third wave of Covid-19.

The Congress party has suggested the Election Commissioner to stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister from “using government machinery/money for inaugurations and making political statements at these events”.

Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said that the party has decided to postpone major rallies in Uttar Pradesh and other poll-bound states.

“We have asked state units to assess the COVID-19 situation in their states and take a decision on holding rallies,” ANI quoted Venugopal as saying.

The BJP emerged victorious in the 2017 polls, winning 312 seats in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) won 47 seats and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) bagged 19 seats respectively.