The Indian Panorama

Tag: Murmu

  • 9 dead in stampede at Venkateswara Swamy temple in Andhra Pradesh

    9 dead in stampede at Venkateswara Swamy temple in Andhra Pradesh

    President Murmu condoles loss of life; PM Modi announces ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the deceased

    KASIBUGGA, AP (TIP): At least nine people—eight women and a boy—were killed and many others injured in a temple stampede here in Srikakulam district on Saturday, said an official, according to a PTI report. However, Srikakulam District Collector Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar earlier put the toll at 10.

    The stampede occurred at Venkateswara temple in Kasibugga town at around 11.30 am, said Kasibugga sub-division in-charge DSP Lakshman Rao.

    “Nine (deaths). Nine only, (Condition of) one person is bit serious. He is not dead. Total nine people. One child is there, a 12-year-old child; the remaining (victims) are all female. And it is a private temple. It is not a government temple. It was constructed recently,” Srikakulam Superintendent of Police KV Maheswara Reddy told PTI.

    The police official further said that the incident occurred due to the collapse of an iron grill near the steps. The public, in fear, thought that something was falling and panicked. They fell from a height of about six feet. There was no stampede. Since the collapse was from a height of six feet, one person fell on another, and that led to the incident.

    “It is purely an accident and due to the owner’s mistake. They haven’t applied for police bandobust, there were no permissions also,” he added.

    AP Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha noted that at least five people were injured. She said at least seven of the dead were in the age group of 35-40.

    According to her, the temple is located at an elevation on the first floor, and when the devotees were climbing, the railing broke off, resulting in the people standing at a corner falling off and others dropping on them.

    Observing that Kasibugga Venkateswara temple is a private one and not under the Endowments Department, Anitha said it was common to see 1,500 to 2,000 devotees turn up there every Saturday.

    Further, she noted that the auspicious occasion of Ekadasi coinciding with ‘Karthika Masam’ on a Saturday aggravated the tragedy as multitudes thronged the temple.

    Reacting to the incident, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, in a post on X said, “The stampede at Kasibugga Venkateswara temple in Srikakulam district anguished me. It is very sad that devotees have died in this unfortunate incident. I convey my deepest sympathies to the families of the victims.”

    The CM also said that he directed officials to ensure better treatment for the injured persons and added that he instructed the authorities and local leaders to monitor the relief work at the stampede site.

    PM Narendra Modi also reacted to the tragedy, announcing an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the PMNRF for the next of kin of those who lost their lives.
    President Droupadi Murmu also condoled the loss of lives in the stampede prayed for the quick recovery of those injured.

  • Founding ideals: On President Murmu’s first Republic Day address to the nation

    Adherence to basic principles of the Constitution is what unifies India

    In her first and customary Republic Day address to the nation, President Draupadi Murmu reiterated the founding ideals of the Republic on the eve of the 74th anniversary of the adoption of its Constitution. As the first tribal woman to occupy the highest office in the country, the 15th President of India is emblematic of the Republic’s continuing journey of democracy, pluralism and empowerment of the weaker sections. The values of fraternity and democracy that its founding leaders etched into the genetic makeup of the modern nation were derived from the learnings of an ancient civilization. Ms. Murmu underscored this quality of the Republic — the amalgamation of the old and the new, the traditional and the modern. A unified and unifying struggle against British imperialism, as the President noted, was “as much about winning Independence as about rediscovering our own ideals”. Ms. Murmu laid emphasis on the “essence of India” — which is profound and predictable at once. “We have succeeded… because so many creeds and so many languages have not divided us, they have only united us.” A commitment to this creed has sustained the modern nation, and the long and ancient civilization that evolved and reformed over millennia.

    It can be argued that the Republic is continuously in formation, as thoughts and ideas emerge. As new ambitions inspire the country, some foundational principles must remain the timeless codes for survival and success. Ms. Murmu’s address reiterated those, while celebrating India’s successes in various fields, particularly the economy. While noting India’s emergence as an influential leader in global affairs, she underscored the principles of Sarvodaya and Atmanirbhar Bharat — uplift of all, and self-reliance — which are guiding the government as they have the earlier ones. Oppression and debilitating poverty continue to shackle vast sections, and India must constantly remember this fact, and certainly on occasions when it reflects on its progress. At various points, challenges to the ideals of the Constitution and the national movement arose in the form of political authoritarianism, sectarian extremism, and separatism, but India overcame them — a reason for satisfaction but also a call for constant vigil. Ms. Murmu’s reiteration of the founding principles of the Republic, and her reassurance to fellow citizens come at a time when the sanctity of the Constitution is under attack. While debate about the Constitution is also part of the democracy it establishes, adherence to its basic principles is what unifies the people of India. Ms. Murmu made that point.

    (The Hindu)