West Bengal: massive fire at Gangasagar Mela burns several temporary tents, BJP questions government

Gangasagar (The Uttam Hindu): A major fire broke out early Friday morning at the Gangasagar Mela in West Bengal, reducing several temporary tents to ashes and triggering panic at the venue. Fire brigade teams rushed to the spot and managed to control the blaze after hours of effort.

According to officials, the incident occurred on Road Number 2, opposite the Kapil Muni Temple, where temporary tents had been set up ahead of the fair. Several tents were completely gutted in the fire. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far.

The incident has raised serious concerns over safety arrangements and fire-prevention measures ahead of the Gangasagar Mela. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) questioned the state government, calling the incident another reminder of administrative lapses under the Mamata Banerjee-led government.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya posted on social media platform X, stating that this was not an isolated incident but part of a worrying pattern. He said that year after year, the Gangasagar Mela has been marked by mismanagement, poor planning, and alarming negligence toward public safety. He also recalled past stampede incidents in which people had lost their lives.

Malviya further said that when lakhs of devotees gather at a sacred site, basic safety arrangements are not optional but a responsibility. He stressed that fire safety norms, emergency exits, crowd control, and disaster preparedness cannot be treated as afterthoughts.

Questioning the state government, Malviya asked how many warnings would be ignored before accountability is fixed. He said the West Bengal government must stop treating Gangasagar as a photo-op event and start handling it as a serious administrative responsibility. He added that Hindu faith deserves respect and devotees deserve safety, but instead face negligence every year.