After accident at PM's Midnapore rally, blame game erupts

KOLKATA: Political blame games have kicked in shortly after the tent collapse at the meeting venue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Midnapore that left more than 40 people injured.

While the Trinamool Congress demanded that the BJP’s state unit take responsibility for the accident, BJP leaders claimed that people were enthusiastic as they could reach the rally despite attacks by Trinamool Congress.

"We are deeply concerned about those who were injured at the Midnapore rally. We pray for their early recovery. All medical assistance is being provided to the injured. The organisers of this rally must take responsibility for this lapse," said Partha Chatterjee, secretary general of TMC in a statement on Monday.


A senior police official said it was the responsibility of the organizers to make the meeting venue safe and secure.

“It was a political programme. The police and administration had nothing to do in this. The organisers took permission for the ground. But the structure they built on it was their own. We are only responsible for the security of the Prime Minister,” said the official.

However, it appeared to be a security breach since the PM was present at the podium during the incident.

The tents to shelter the people from continuous rain, were built of poles and railings which collapsed when BJP workers clambered up get a better glimpse of Modi.

Modi, who was addressing the meeting, stopped and stepped out of the podium to tell his security people to manage the situation.

He also tried to pacify the crowd and instructed his team of doctors to treat the injured people and carry them to hospital in the ambulances that follow his convoy.