02-05-2025
YSR Congress Party politicising Simhachalam wall collapse tragedy, alleges Bheemunipatnam MLA
Bheemunipatnam MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao on Friday criticised former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and the YSRCP leaders for allegedly politicising the recent wall collapse tragedy atop Simhachalam Hill during Chandanotsavam festival on April 30. He accused the YSRCP leaders of attempting to gain political mileage from the unfortunate incident, in which seven people lost their lives.
Addressing a press conference at his residence on Friday, Mr. Srinivasa Rao found fault with Mr. Jagan and the YSRCP leaders calling the Simhachalam accident as 'political murders'.
He reminded some of the incidents during the year 2019-24 under the former YSRCP government, which include Kachuluru boat accident in which 47 were killed, 37 people died after Annamayya Dam breached, 12 people died in LG Polymers gas leak in Visakhapatnam, 11 died in RUIA hospital oxygen dip in Tirupati, 11 died in a crane accident, 10 dead in a fire accident in COVID-19 care centre in Vijayawada, 13 died after drinking sanitiser in Pamuru in Prakasam and over 40 died after consuming contaminated arrack at Jangareddygudam.
He also said that during 2019-23, as many as 43 industrial accidents occurred in undivided Visakhapatnam district, in which 91 people died.
'Accidents can happen under any government due to various reasons,' said Mr. Srinivasa Rao. 'It is deeply unfortunate that YSRCP leaders are labelling every incident, including the Simhachalam tragedy, as a political murder. During the YSRCP's government, the TDP never politicised incidents involving the loss of lives. What truly matters is how the government responds and the extent of support provided to the victims.'
₹1 crore ex gratia
Mr. Srinivasa Rao said that, apart from the LG Polymers incident, the YSRCP government never offered an ex gratia of ₹1 crore in any other accident case across the State. Mr. Srinivasa Rao criticised the party for setting ₹1 crore as a benchmark and demanding it for all incidents. The Bheemunipatnam MLA also took a jibe at Mr. Jagan, questioning his promise to give ₹1 crore ex gratia to the Simhachalam victims if he comes to power again, calling it unrealistic and misleading.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao also alleged that under the YSRCP government, the Hindu temples were neglected. He said that the Union government has sanctioned ₹54 crore as part of PRASAD scheme to take up development projects. However till the year 2024, only 5% works were taken up. This reflects the commitment of the YSRCP to develop temples.
He also reiterated that the State government has constituted a three-member committee which has already inspected the accident site. He said that whoever may be involved in the accident, will not be spared and strict action will be initiated against them.
When asked about the possibility of conducting a 'samprokshana' ritual at Simhachalam following the recent accident, Mr. Srinivasa Rao stated that, according to the temple priests, the incident did not take place in the 'Mada Veedhulu' (temple's sacred outer streets). However, respecting the sentiments of the devotees, the priests have decided to perform the 'samprokshana' and a 'Santi Homam' on May 3.
