Temple stampede: Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan feels heat ahead of November polls

NEW DELHI: The Ratangarh stampede could not have come at a more inopportune time for Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is seeking a third term as MP chief minister in the upcoming assembly elections.

“The MP government needs to take responsibility for this. The CM needs to resign,” Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken said on Monday, a day after more than 100 pilgrims were crushed to death in a stampede on the bridge leading to Ratangarh temple.

As the attack intensified, Chouhan tweeted, “Politics on any tragedy is unwanted. The focus should be on attending to the injured and taking steps to avoid any such incidents in the future.” BJP leaders claimed the stampede would not cast a shadow on the party’s prospects in the November 25 elections.

Sociologist Dipankar Gupta said: “It will not impact politically. We are not a risk conscious society.” Drawing a contrast between the Ratangarh stampede and the handling of Cyclone Phailin, he said there was an advance warning about the cyclone.

The Congress, however, asked why the state government had not learnt any lesson from the 2006 stampede at the same temple and prepared for the visit of devotees. The BJP, on its part, said the stampede was triggered by a rumour.

“The government always makes arrangements. But if some rumour is spread about the collapse of the bridge how can you blame the state government?” asked BJP leader Prabhat Jha, who is in charge of Chouhan’s yatra.