Hathras tragedy: Untrammelled arrogance yet again

The UP government has announced a judicial inquiry into the stampede during spiritual preacher Bhole Baba's prayer congregation that killed as many as 121 people. The commission, headed by a retired High Court judge, will look into the cause of the accident and will submit recommendations to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies.

It is common for the government to set up a commission of inquiry and then submit report including the recommendation. No such recommendations nor reports have succeeded in curbing the continuing misery of stampedes and such human-made disasters in the country. This also brings into the open, the inept works of state governments. Setting up commissions and seeking reports have all turned into mere face-saving acts to convince people that the government is working day and night to solve the misery of such tragedies.

The Satsang was held at Hathras with the permission of the district administration. 80,000 people were allowed but about two and a half lakh people gathered there. The stampede started after people started pushing themselves to reach Bhole Baba and touch his feet to take blessings. Some also wanted to take the soil, which had imprints of Bhole Baba’s feet, resulting in a rush and panic scenario.

The taluk and district hospitals did not have enough facilities to provide adequate treatment to the injured, which led to a rise in the death rate. This disaster also points to the failure of administrative, legal and medical facilities in the state of Uttar Pradesh. More than the organizers of the event, the onus of such tragedy lies within the legal system, including the police, who failed to introspect the security arrangements of the event. The District Collector and SP should bear responsibility and need to explain their appalling work standards.

It is common in India for people to flock in lakhs to attend events of spiritual gurus and preachers. The crowd may be more than anyone could witness in a victory parade of a cricket team or any political rally. India is a country where such mass meetings are held regularly. Meetings can be organized without any difficulty if adequate security arrangements are made. For this, organizers and administration need to work hand in hand.

According to the police, spiritual preacher Bhole Baba is at large after the incident. On the other hand, the close followers of Bhole Baba state that the intrusion of anti-social elements during the Satsang led to the tragedy. Organizers must explain and clarify how they made a mess of the event.

Undoubtedly, the disaster was caused by the complete negligence of the organizers and the administration. Another shock was the presence of only one doctor at the Sikandra Rao Trauma Center hospital where the injured were brought after the disaster. If for proper healthcare facilities, the death rate would never have been this bad. The government and the police should proceed with the case in such a way as to ensure strict punishment for the culpable in the case.

Necessary amendments should also be brought in for governing mass gatherings. The grotesque system of organizing big events at a whim, caring less about the security arrangements needs the beating it deserves.