NEW DELHI: After dozens of people were mowed down by a speeding train in Amritsar on Friday, Bharatiya Janata Party leader (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy blamed Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government for not doing enough to safeguard the area near the railway tracks.
"The particular boundary where the accident took place belongs to Punjab state. It is the job of the state of Punjab to see that railway tracks are secured from all the sides. The Congress government should be held responsible for this," he said.
Swamy said that the Punjab government should have provided a ground for the people to celebrate Dussehra without risking their lives by standing on railway tracks. He also said that an action should be taken against those who gave the permission to install a Ravana effigy near the accident spot.
"Why not an open ground with proper fencing was built up to conduct such a big event? Why the organisers never informed the railways about the same? An action should be taken who permitted to celebrate Dusshera near the railway track," he said.
However, Punjab Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu tried to dispel the criticism and claimed that several announcements were made, urging spectators to occupy vacant space on the ground. She was the chief guest at the fateful event.
"There were vacant seats at Dhobi Ghat ground. Ravana was tied securely and there were no chances of it falling down and creating chaos. There was no stampede. Announcements were made 4-5 times asking people to come inside the ground," she said.