VASCO
The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) State President and former minister Jose Philip D’Souza on Saturday came accused the State government of gross administrative failure that led to the loss of lives during the Lairai zatra festival in Shirgao.
Offering condolences to the families of the deceased and prayers for the recovery of the injured, D’Souza said the tragic incident has raised serious questions about the government’s preparedness.
“This is a deeply unfortunate incident that exposes serious lapses in planning and safety measures,” he said.
“The government made a grand announcement elevating Lairai zatra to state festival status, yet there is no evidence of special preparations to handle the lakhs of devotees, especially during key nighttime rituals like ‘Homkund’,” he said. D’Souza alleged that the disaster management apparatus was poorly prepared.
