New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday paid tributes to "thousands" who died in the January 29 Maha Kumbh stampede, triggering an uproar from the treasury benches even as Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar asked him to retract the statement. Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, was quick to add that "this is my estimate (and) if this is not right you (the government) should tell what is the truth". He said he was ready to be corrected.
"I did not say 'thousands' to blame anyone. But how many people died, give that information at least. I will apologise if I am wrong. They should give figures how many died, how many are missing," he said. There was a stampede during the Amrit Snan on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya on January 29. According to the figures provided by the Uttar Pradesh government, 30 people were killed and 60 others were injured.
However, while participating in a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address in Rajya Sabha, Kharge used the phrase "the thousands who died in Kumbh" to pay tributes to the deceased. "I pay my tributes to the people who died in Maha Kumbh... the thousands who died in Kumbh," he said, leading to the protest by the ruling members.
Kharge, however, added this was his estimate and the government should provide the "correct" figures. "This is my estimate, if this is not right you should tell what is the truth... I am asking you to declare what the actual numbers are. If I am wrong I am ready to correct," he said. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar urged him to retract his statement.
"The LoP has indicated a scenario using figures to the extent of thousands. I appeal to him, in this House, whatever is spoken, carries great weight. You have spoken something which has numbed everyone," Dhankhar said.
"A message that goes from here, even if it is contradicted, goes to the whole world. Can you go to that extent? I would appeal to you as one of senior most leaders of this country, if you put a figure in thousands I can only appeal to your conscious," he said. Kharge said he did not mention the figure to blame anyone.
Even as Chairman Dhankhar called Kharge making the claim a "very sad moment" and asked him to withdraw his statement, the Leader of Opposition insisted the government give the correct figures and continued with his speech. He also paid tributes to former prime minister Manmohan Singh, calling him the architect of the modern Indian economy.
