Stampede-like situation at historic Bharat Milap in Varanasi, opposition parties slam Yogi govt

Varanasi: A stampede-like situation occurred at the famous Bharat Milap fair in Varanasi, leaving some people injured. Opposition Samajwadi Party and Congress slammed the Yogi Adityanath government over mismanagement at the historic event.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident took place on Sunday when the police stopped the Yadav brothers, who carry the Pushpak Viman during the performance, from advancing with Lord Ram's Pushpak Viman, resulting in a verbal altercation between both sides.

Rumours of baton charge by cops soon spread across various social media platforms. The police, however, denied allegations of any 'lathi charge' at the event, held at Nati Imli here.

Later in the evening, Ashok Kumar Singh, the in-charge of Nati Imli police outpost, was suspended without a stated reason, according to Varanasi Commissionerate.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Kashi Zone) Gaurav Banswal said on X, "During the Bharat Milap event at Nati Imli, some women and children came in front of the chariot at the entrance, and to prevent them from getting crushed in the crowd, the police force on duty pushed the crowd back. The reports of a lathi-charge circulating on social media are false. No such action was taken by the administration."

According to the event organisers, the Bharat Milap at Nati Imli is one of the most ancient and historic enactments, with this year marking the 474th performance. The fair draws lakhs of devotees from Varanasi and surrounding areas.

As per tradition, the Yadav brothers of Kashi carry the five-ton Pushpak Viman during the performance, they said.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav said, "The attempt to disrupt the tradition of social harmony in the Prime Minister's parliamentary constituency is a symbol of the BJP government's narrow-minded politics. The chaos that ensued here is evidence of the BJP's mismanagement, as they do not want events that promote brotherhood to succeed." "In Varanasi's 'Nati Imli Bharat Milap', which has been a tradition for 480 years, the meeting of the Raghu dynasty has always taken place on the shoulders of the Yadu dynasty," he added in a post in Hindi on X.

Amidst the mutual love and affection between the "Suryavanshi" and "Chandravanshi", the "Kamalvanshi" (BJP) are trying to create "political rifts", the former chief minister said.

"The BJP government of Uttar Pradesh, busy with its shady dealings, fails to set up barricades where they are needed, and puts them where they aren't required. There's no need to explain where they do it; ”the public is very wise," he added.

Congress' Uttar Pradesh unit president Ajay Rai also slammed the BJP government over the ruckus.

"It's a 481-year-old tradition. I have been witnessing this event for the last 30-32 years. For the first time, the police have lathi charged on the crowd at the Bharat Milap programme. They (BJP government) talk about Ram but they get Ram bhakts lathi charged," Rai told reporters in Lucknow.

Rai, a five-term MLA, has contested Lok Sabha polls against PM Modi from Varanasi in 2024, 2019 and 2014.