STATE TIMES NEWS
Jammu: Attributing the death of 12 pilgrims in a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine to the grave negligence of the administration, the Congress party on Saturday demanded a Rs 50 lakh compensation to families of those killed and Rs 10 lakh to the injured in the tragic incident.
The J&K unit of Congress demanded the enhanced compensation over and above Rs 10 lakh announced for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the injured.
Senior party leaders including AICC Seva Dal chief Lal Ji Desai, J&K Congress president G A Mir and working president Raman Bhalla observed a two-minute silence to pay tributes to the deceased and pray for early recovery of the injured. The incident is the result of the grave negligence on the part of the administration and management. We demand a high-level probe into the tragedy and adequate ex gratia relief of Rs 50 Lakh for fatalities and Rs 10 Lakh to each injured, Mir told reporters here. The Congress leaders present at the press conference including Desai expressed shock over the tragedy at the holy shrine and sympathies for families of those killed.
The AICC Seva Dal chief said the increase in GST rates on items of common use by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is a New Year gift to the people of the country, who are already reeling under high inflation and rising unemployment.
On every New Year day, we used to wish each other happiness and prosperity like for the last seven years, this year also the gift given to the people of the country by the Modi government is price rise and inflation, the Congress leader said.
Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, General Secretaries Yogesh Sawhney and Manmohan Singh, Treasurer Rajnish Sharma and JK Seva Dal Chief Vijay Sharma were also present.