WB stampede: BJP condoles deaths, slams TMC for politicising tragedy

Telangana BJP's NV Subhash condoled the deaths in the West Bengal stampede. He criticised the TMC and Congress for politicising the tragedy and alleged that the TMC had previously hampered religious celebrations in the state for appeasement.

Telangana BJP chief spokesperson NV Subhash expressed condolences over the stampede incident in West Bengal that reportedly claimed 17 lives, describing it as deeply unfortunate. He also criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC), alleging that the party had hampered religious celebrations during its tenure and accused the TMC and Congress of politicising the tragedy instead of focusing on relief efforts. “It is a very unfortunate incident in which 17 people have lost their lives due to the stampede,” Subhash said, expressing concern over the loss of lives and the need to support those affected by the incident.

BJP Alleges Past Appeasement by TMC

Subhash alleged that during the TMC's 15-year rule in West Bengal, the party and its leaders, including the Chief Minister, had hampered Puja celebrations to appease certain sections of society. “Earlier, during the 15-year regime of the TMC in West Bengal, the TMC and its leaders, including the Chief Minister, hampered the Puja celebrations in order to please and appease certain sections of society,” he claimed.

The BJP spokesperson further asserted that religious celebrations had expanded significantly after the BJP came to power, alleging that people in West Bengal had previously faced restrictions on celebrating Navratri. “But after the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power, the Pujas have been conducted on an incredibly and exponentially larger scale because the people of West Bengal had been deprived of even celebrating the Navratri Pujas,” Subhash said.

TMC, Congress Accused of Politicising Tragedy

He also stated that the West Bengal Chief Minister, government officials, BJP workers and members of voluntary service organisations were extending support following the tragedy. However, Subhash accused the TMC and Congress of attempting to draw political comparisons with earlier incidents instead of concentrating on helping the affected people. “Unfortunately, the TMC and the Congress party wanted to take advantage of this kind of untoward incident. Instead of supporting the people or helping them through the government machinery, they wanted to compare this incident with those that happened under the earlier government,” he alleged.

The remarks come amid political exchanges following the fatal stampede, with crowd management, public safety and the response to the tragedy remaining central concerns. (ANI)

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