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Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday said there were lapses on the part of the administration in the Hathras stampede incident that killed over 100 people, but added that he did not want to make it a political issue.
Gandhi, after meeting the victims of the stampede in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras on Friday morning, urged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to release "maximum compensation" for the victims without any delay.
One of the family members who met Gandhi said he assured them that he will raise the issue in Parliament so that such incidents do not happen in future.
Speaking to reporters in Hathras on Friday morning, Gandhi said, "It is a matter of grief that so many families have suffered, so many people lost their lives.".
"I don't want to speak from a political prism, but there have been some lapses on part of the administration. There have been mistakes, which should be identified," the senior Congress leader said.
A total of 121 people, mostly women, died in the stampede at self-styled godman Baba Bhole's satsang in Hathras on Tuesday.
Gandhi said this is a tough time for the victims and they would need the compensation quickly as they are poor. He urged the UP chief minister to provide "maximum compensation".
"They are poor people and they need it (compensation) now. If you give them after six months, after a year or delay it, then it will not benefit anyone. Compensation should be given as soon as possible," Gandhi said.
The government has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for those killed and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
Gandhi also said that he had a "personal" interaction with the family members of the stampede victims.
"They said that there was a lapse on the part of the administration. They said that the police arrangement that should have been made was not there. But they are grieving and are in shock. I am trying to understand their situation," he said.
Before meeting family members in Hathras, Gandhi made a stop at Aligarh and met the kin of victims from the district.
According to police, 17 people from Aligarh and 19 from Hathras were killed in the stampede.
Gandhi left from Delhi early morning by road and was accompanied by UP Congress chief Ajay Rai, state Congress in-charge Avinash Pande, party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate and other office bearers of the party during his visit to Aligarh and Hathras.
He reached Pilakhna village in Aligarh at 7.15 am and reached Vibhav Nagar colony's Green Park in Hathras at 9 am, staying at both venues for around 30 minutes. He left from Hathras at 9.30 am.
Security was beefed up in Hathras since morning for Gandhi's arrival. A large number of police personnel were deployed on key city routes while multi-layered security rings.
Hari Mohan, a Hathras resident who lost his aunt in the stampede, said, "Rahul Gandhi interacted with us and extended his sympathies. He said he would make an effort to get the compensation amount for victims increased," Mohan told PTI.
Mrityunjay Bharti (22), a resident of Aligarh who lost her maternal grandmother in the tragedy, said: "He spoke to us and tried to understand our issues. He said he would raise the issue in Parliament so that such incidents do not happen in future."
When asked about Gandhi's visit, one Monu said, "He said that he will try his best to help and will talk to the government as his party is not in power."
Speaking about the stampede on Tuesday, Aligarh-resident Mukesh Kumar said that his mother, Premvati Devi (55), went to the 'satsang' even though he had pointed out the hot and humid weather that day.
"She is on medication and she went alone from the family along with some people from the neighbourhood," he said, adding that he later found out about a stampede at the venue.
Around 80,000 people were called for the 'satsang' but over 2 lakh people reached the venue, Mukesh added.
The Congress in a post on X in Hindi said, "Today, Leader of Opposition Mr Rahul Gandhi met the victim families of the Hathras incident and consoled and gave them courage. More than 100 people died tragically and many are injured in the stampede in Hathras."
"Leader of Opposition Mr Rahul Gandhi met the victims of Hathras incident. We stand with you in this difficult time," another post by Congress said.
Senior UP Congress leader Pradeep Mathur, who was also present at the venue where Gandhi met the family members told PTI, "Rahul Gandhi provided consolation and a healing touch to the family members of the victims of the stampede tragedy. He interacted with them at a very personal level."
The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday formed a three-member judicial commission headed by a retired high court judge to probe the Hathras tragedy, looking also into the possibility that a conspiracy was behind the stampede.
The police have so far arrested six 'sevadars' who were members of the organising committee of the 'satsang' of Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole Baba on July 2 in Fulrai village of Hathras.
The godman is not named in the police FIR as an accused but a senior officer told media on Thursday that he would be questioned if required for investigation.