Delhi stampede: Ultimate responsibility lies with railway minister, says Pawan Bansal

Senior Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal on Sunday said the ultimate responsibility for the stampede at New Delhi railway station lies with the railway minister and he cannot escape it.

The former railway minister also said the government has "utterly failed" to anticipate the rush of pilgrims and make arrangements accordingly.

At least 18 people were killed and more than a dozen injured in the stampede at the packed station on Saturday night, with railway officials saying that the incident occurred after some passengers slipped and fell on others while coming down from a foot over bridge.

Bansal said the vast publicity about the Maha Kumbh attracted a large number of people, but arrangements had not been made accordingly at railway stations.

The Congress leader, who was the railway minister during the UPA II regime, said New Delhi is the most prestigious railway station across the country and wondered why adequate arrangements were not made in advance.

He said during events like the Maha Kumbh and Chhath Pooja, one has to make arrangements in advance with proper planning.

"Adequate and commensurate arrangements were lacking. The government has utterly failed to anticipate the rush of pilgrims... This was a tragedy waiting to happen because of the lack of arrangements on the part of the authorities," he told PTI.

Asked if the railway minister should resign, Bansal said just like the minister takes credit for everything happening in the Railways, he should also own up the responsibility of the mismanagement.

"The railway minister should own up his responsibility as the ultimate responsibility lies with him and he cannot escape it," he said.

He suggested that in view of the rush, people should be made to queue up properly to avoid any stampede-like situation at a platform. He also called for measures outside the railway station to avoid the rush.

On the setting up of the inquiry committee, the former railway minister said, "It looks like washing one's hands off the responsibility and the guilt."