The YSR Congress party on Wednesday rejected outright the report of the Justice Somayajulu commission absolving Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the case of tragic death of 27 people in a stampede during Godavari Pushkarams on July 15, 2015.
YSRC spokesperson Vasireddy Padma said the commission, instead of finding causes behind the stampede, had taken pains to establish that the chief minister was not at fault and only the devotees who gathered in large numbers and the media were responsible for the stampede which resulted in the loss of human life.
“It was a fact that Naidu, instead of taking a dip at the designated VIP ghat, had opted to do the puja at the general ghat, meant for general public, as he had given a contract to a channel to shoot the event for self-promotion and a film director was there to direct an advertisement film as well,” she said.
Padma pointed out that the government had fixed a muhuratham which was not there to gather people for the benefit of cameras and Chandrababu Naidu had delayed the time rising tempers and anxiety as his sole intention was to show huge crowd while he was taking bath and carrying out the rituals.
“When things went wrong with the restless crowd rushing to the ghat, after the barricades were cleared following the exit VVIP, to carry out the rituals there was stampede resulting in the tragedy which was not acknowledged by the state,” she pointed out.
It was ridiculous that even before the commission started its proceedings, the TDP started giving its verdict which served as directive absolving the chief minister, she alleged.