Jyotiraditya Scindia blames Madhya Pradesh CM for temple stampede deaths

Union Minister of State for Power (Independent Charge) Jyotiraditya Scindia today blamed Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for the recent stampede at Ratangarh temple in Datia district which had claimed the lives of several pilgrims.

"On one hand, Chouhan always tried to take credit for the Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojna, but on the other hand, he is also responsible for deaths of over 150 pilgrims at the Ratangarh Devi Temple in Datia district because of administrative lapse," Scindia, who is also Chairman of the Congress Assembly Poll Campaign Committee said while addressing a poll meeting.

However, the official death toll at the Ratangarh Devi Temple was 115. Scindia also alleged that MP's law and order situation had totally collapsed due to which women, youth and even policemen are not safe in the state. He also took the BJP led state government to task for taking credit for launching the 'Ladli Laxmi Yojna' despite MP's high female infanticide rate.

Scindia said that if the government used money spent on advertisements publicising itself on electricity reforms, then no house in the state would remain without power.

He also highlighted various sops announced by the Congress in its manifesto yesterday for the welfare of the people of the state and added that it was in the interest of the people to defeat the "corrupt" BJP government at the hustings.