After Bhole Baba's Pic With Akhilesh Yadav Goes Viral, Yogi Highlights Godman's 'Political Links'

Uttar Pradesh government has also decided to set up high court judge-led judicial committee to probe the Hathras stampede incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said

CM Yogi Adityanath stressed that the priority of his government was to focus on the rescue and operation

Source : x.com

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Gogi Adityanath on Wednesday slammed the Opposition leaders for 'politicising' the Hathras stampede incident and alleged that Narayan Saakar Hari alias ‘Bhole Baba’--the preacher at whose religious congregation the tragedy struck--has political connections. 

Addressing media after meeting the victims of the tragic incident, Adityanath said, "Some people have the tendency to politicise such sad and painful incidents. These people have the nature of 'chori bhi aur seenazori bhi'. Everyone knows with whom the gentleman's (preacher) photos are and with whom he has political connections. You must have seen that during the rallies in the past days, where was the stampede and who was behind it? It is necessary for us to know about it. Those who play with the lives of innocent people will be held accountable for this."

#WATCH | On the Hathras stampede incident, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath says "Some people have the tendency to politicise such sad and painful incidents. These people have the nature of 'chori bhi aur seenazori bhi'. Everyone knows with whom the gentleman's (preacher) photos… pic.twitter.com/gNCHNJdpNz

— ANI (@ANI) July 3, 2024

The Chief Minister's remark came as an old post of Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav on X went viral, where he shared snippets from a similar 'satsang' of ‘Bhole Baba’ that he attended in January 2023.

Uttar Pradesh government has also decided to conduct a judicial inquiry into the Hathras stampede incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said.

He said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the matter has also been asked to investigate the cause behind the incident 'deeply'. A team consisting of ADG Agra and Aligarh Divisional Commissioner has been constituted to inquire into the cause of the incident. 

Addressing the media, the Chief Minister said, "We have formed an SIT, led by ADG Agra. It has submitted a preliminary report. They have been told to investigate this deeply. There are several angles that need to be investigated."

"State Government has decided to have a judicial inquiry as well which will be led by a retired High Court judge. Retired senior officials of the Administration and Police will also be a part of it," he added.

The Chief Minister stressed that the priority of his government was to focus on the rescue and operation. Adityanath also met the people who were injured in the Hathras stampede.

"A total of 121 devotees have lost their lives. They were from UP, Haryana, MP and Rajasthan. Out of the 121 deceased, 6 were from other states. 31 injured people are undergoing treatment and almost everyone is out of danger. I had a conversation with several eyewitnesses and they informed me that the incident took place after the program was over when the preacher of the Satsang was coming down from the stage, suddenly several women started going towards him to touch him and when the 'sevadars' stopped them, due to which this accident happened. The administration was not allowed by the 'sevadars' to enter inside," he added.

The Chief Minister also visited the site of the incident to see the initial arrangements of the causes of the accident. Adityanath said three of his ministers are camping at the incident site since yesterday.

"The Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police are also camping here since yesterday. Senior officers of the police and administration are already there. Further action is also being taken in the direction of fixing the accountability of those responsible for this entire incident, in which their proceedings will now begin in different districts and after the initial investigation, we will work to take further action forward," he added.

#WATCH | On the Hathras stampede incident, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath says "I visited the site of the incident to see the initial arrangements of the causes of the accident and our 3 ministers were camping there since yesterday. The Chief Secretary and the Director General… pic.twitter.com/vpJI9sL79t

— ANI (@ANI) July 3, 2024

CM also announces the compensation for the victims of the incident. "The minor school-going children of the victims of this incident will be facilitated in their education under the Uttar Pradesh Mukhyamantri Bal Seva Yojana. Families of each deceased are being given ex-gratia of Rs 4 Lakhs and Rs 1 Lakh will be given to those who sustained minor injuries," he said.

#WATCH | Hathras stampede incident | Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath says, "...The State Government and Central Government have announced monetary compensation too. The minor children of the innocent people who became victims of this incident, who are school students, will be… pic.twitter.com/R3e7M97B88

— ANI (@ANI) July 3, 2024

The stampede at a religious congregation on Tuesday left 121 people dead and 28 injured.

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday registered an FIR against the organisers of the congregation, accusing them of hiding evidence and flouting conditions with 2.5 lakh people gathering for the event in which only 80,000 were permitted.

However, the congregation or 'satsang' conductor Jagat Guru Saakar Vishwahari's name does not figure in the list of accused in the FIR though his name is in the complaint.

The FIR alleged that the organisers hid the actual number of devotees coming to the 'satsang' while seeking permission, did not cooperate in traffic management and hid evidence after the stampede, which broke out after people gathered there stopped to collect mud from the way the baba's vehicle was passing.