Stampede-like Scenes At Maskless Congress Rally In UP; Minister Says 'Human Nature'

A stampede-like situation was reported in a ‘women marathon’ organised by the Congress party today in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly.

The event was organised by the party under its 'Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon'poll campaign in UP, where assembly elections are due this year.?

Some videos from the site show hundreds of girls and women tripping and falling on the ground while running the marathon.?

Those coming from behind had to suddenly stop, leading to more participants falling down.

Some participants have received injuries, but an unfortunate event was averted.?

The participants were also seen without masks, despite rising coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases.?

"Nothing to worry"

Reacting to the mishap, Congress leader and former Bareilly mayor Supriya Aron said there is nothing to worry. “When a stampede can happen in Vaishno Devi, these are just girls. It is human nature. But I want to apologise.”

She added that the stampede could also be a conspiracy against Congress.

Other Congress leaders in Lucknow also termed it a conspiracy hatched by the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government. “Some girls have been injured, and we are waiting for further details," state Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh was quoted as saying by PTI. Alleging that it was a “conspiracy hatched by the BJP government" in the state, he said, “The district administration knew that the run was being held and did not cooperate." The incident was a “fallout of laxity on the part of the local administration", Singh added.

"The district administration did not cooperate as far as the issue of security was concerned and the entire incident smells of a conspiracy hatched by the BJP," the Congress leader said.

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At least three participants have been sent to hospital after getting injured in the stampede-like situation.

Police are investigating what led to the stampede.

Several top politicians, including Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, BJP’s Manoj Tiwari, Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey, and TMC’s Babul Supriyo, informed on Twitter that they had tested positive for Covid-19.

India has been witnessing a resurge in coronavirus cases amid the poll season. Leaders from various political parties have been holding rallies as high-stakes Uttar Pradesh and Punjab elections inch closer.

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