No funds to compensate stampede victims: Mayawati

Lucknow, Mar 6: In another bad news for the victims of Pratapgarh Templ stampede, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Friday, Mar 5 has announced its inability to give monetary compensation to the victims , citing 'acute financial crisis'.

Mayawati has asked the Center's help in offering compensation to the victims of the stampede.

"In view of the acute financial crisis currently faced by the state, I am appealing to the central government to be generous in giving away decent compensation to the families of those who have lost their lives or were injured in the unfortunate stampede at the ashram run by spiritual guru Kripaluji Maharaj in Mangarh village of Pratapgarh district," Mayawati said in a press statement issued here on Friday night.

"However, in case the union government expresses its inability to pay, then we will squeeze our resources to mobilise funds for the purpose," she added.

In an attempt to justify her stand, the Chief Minister pointed to the absence of Central fund to deal with human tragedies.

"The Centre does provide the states with a Calamities Relief Fund (CRF), but that is meant to be utilised only towards natural disasters and not tragedies like this one."

"I have therefore asked all my party MPs to call on the prime minister and seek his help for creating a central fund to meet the financial needs arising during such human tragedies," she added.

Mayawati's statement just hours after the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's announcement of RS 2 lakh ex-gatia to the next of kin of the victims from the Prime Minister's National Relief fund

"We have decided to make, from the Prime Minister's National Relief fund, an ex-gratia payment of Rs.2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs.50,000 to those seriously injured," he announced in the Lok Sabha.

65 people were killed and over 100 people were injured in the stampede that took place in Ram Janaki temple in Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, Mar 4.

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