Midnapore (WB): A makeshift tent collapsed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in West Bengal’s Midnapore district on Monday, injuring at least 22 people, police officials said.
The tent was erected next to the main entrance of the rally venue to shelter people from the rain. State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said 24 people were injured in the incident. Many enthusiastic BJP supporters had climbed the makeshift marquee during the rally.
Modi — who visited the hospital later — briefly stopped his speech and was heard repeatedly asking them to get down, officials said. Giving details of the incident, eyewitnesses added that some people clambered on top of the marquee, which was covered with tarpaulin. The structure could not withstand the weight of the people and collapsed, leading to several in the gathering, including women, being injured, they said.
According to officials, the prime minister saw the tent collapsing while he was in the middle of his speech. He immediately instructed special protection group (SPG) personnel standing near him to look after the people and attend to the injured. The local BJP unit as well as Modi’s personal staff, including his doctor and SPG personnel, swung into action to help the injured, officials said. A BJP functionary said the injured were taken to hospital by the ambulance in the PM’s convoy. Most of the injured were admitted to hospital, an official said, adding that their number could rise.
Meanwhile, Modi took a dig at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over TMC flags, banners and hoardings around his rally venue in West Midnapore district’s Midnapore town, saying she put up these to ‘welcome’ him to the state.
Hundreds of Trinamool Congress hoardings and banners had come up ahead of the party’s July 21 Martyr’s Day Rally, bearing pictures of party supremo Banerjee with folded hands.
“I am grateful to the Trinamool Congress because they have covered the area with so many party flags for my rally here. I am also grateful to Mamata Didi (Banerjee) because she has herself erected several of her hoardings all around with her pictures with folded hands to extend a traditional welcome to the Prime Minister. I express my hearty gratitude to her for this gesture,” Modi said. (Agencies)
