MATHURA: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Sunday blamed Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who visited Mathura on Janmashtami, for the August 20 stampede, saying the police force meant to control the crowd was engaged for his security.
Speaking to reporters here, Yadav said during the previous Samajwadi Party regime, Janmashtami used to be celebrated with pomp, but no such incidents took place.
"The tragedy took place in the BJP government, for which it is responsible," he said.
Taking a dig at Adityanath over his visit to Mathura on Janmashtami, Yadav said, "When he (Adityanath) knew that on Janmashtami, there is a sea of Krishna devotees (in Mathura), then what was the need to stay there for hours? The police force, which was meant to control the people, was engaged for him. As a result, there was a shortage (of force) at places where it was needed, and the tragedy took place."
Two devotees were killed and seven injured in the stampede at the Bankey Bihari temple here during Janmashtami celebrations in the early hours of August 20.
Subsequently, a two-member high-level committee headed by former UP Police chief Sulkhan Singh was set up by the state government to probe into the stampede.
On discussions that Vrindavan should be transformed into a corridor on the lines of Kashi Vishwanath temple, Yadav said the ancient nature of Vrindavan "should not be tampered with at all".
The former chief minister also alleged that the BJP instead of developing the Braj region is destroying it.