Arvind Kejrwal calls stampede at Mansa Devi Temple a "painful reminder of systemic failure"

New Delhi [India], July 28 (ANI): The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has expressed anguish over the tragic stampede at the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, in which several devotees lost their lives and many others were injured.
Extending heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, senior AAP leaders, including National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, AAP senior leader Manish Sisodia, and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi, termed the tragedy a grim reminder of systemic negligence, said the party in a press release issued on Saturday.
Calling out the repeated occurrence of such disasters at religious gatherings, the AAP demanded strict accountability of those responsible and urgent corrective measures to prevent such failures in the future.
AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, in a post on X, stated: "I am deeply saddened by the heart-wrenching incident of the stampede at the Mansa Devi Temple in the holy city of Haridwar. May God give strength to the families who have lost their loved ones and grant peace to the departed souls. Such horrific incidents at religious places expose the negligence in administrative arrangements. This is not merely an accident, it is a failure of the system--and accountability must be fixed."
Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia also wrote on X, "The stampede at Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar is extremely painful. Several devotees have lost their lives, and many have been injured. I pray to the Almighty to grant peace to the departed souls, strength to the bereaved families, and speedy recovery to all the injured."
Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi, stated on X, "The incident of the stampede at Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar is truly heartbreaking. We can only imagine the pain of the families who have lost their loved ones. May God grant peace to the departed souls and courage to their families. But the real question is--why do our systems always collapse during every festival and crowded occasion?"
AAP's Chief National Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar also posted on X and said, "Another accident. Once again, lives have been lost. How many homes have been shattered today? The government that seeks votes in the name of temples cannot even provide proper facilities at religious sites. How long will the people of this country keep paying the price for the failures of this incompetent BJP?"
At least six people, including a minor, were killed and 28 others injured in a stampede that broke out near the Mansa Devi Temple in Uttarakhand's Haridwar on Sunday morning, officials said.
According to officials, the incident occurred around 9.00 am when a large crowd of devotees was climbing nearly 800 steps to reach the hilltop shrine.
Upon receiving information, personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the fire brigade reached the spot and launched rescue operations.
According to officials, four of the deceased were from Uttar Pradesh, one from Bihar, and one from Uttarakhand.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the hospital to meet the injured, wished them a speedy recovery, and directed doctors to provide the best possible treatment.
He also announced a magisterial inquiry into the incident and declared an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured. (ANI)