On April 16th, during the Maharashtra Bhushan awards ceremony in Navi Mumbai, where Union Home Minister Amit Shah, State Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis were present to give out the awards, 11 people from the audience tragically lost their lives to heatstroke. The Times of India reports that an additional 600 individuals are now receiving medical attention for heat-related health problems after attending the event.
According to the newspaper, although the official death toll stated by the government is 11, the actual count may be 13. The report reveals that numerous attendees had expressed their discomfort due to dehydration, and some even collapsed, leading to a chaotic, stampede-like scenario.
The newspaper reports that the state government arranged for hundreds of thousands of people from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Gujarat to attend the event in Kharghar, apparently as a display of political might. Unfortunately, the attendees had to endure over six hours of exposure to the scorching sun. The report also notes that two tents, with a combined capacity of 1,000, were designated for VIPs, media personnel, and other distinguished guests with distinct entries.
A function was organized at the Corporate Park in Kharghar, a satellite township of Navi Mumbai, to honor the accomplished social worker, Dattatreya Narayan Dharmadhikari, famously known as Appasaheb Dharmadhikari. During this event, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, a prominent BJP leader, conferred the award in the presence of Chief Minister Shinde and Deputy CM Fadnavis.
Also read: BJP MP Tejasvi Surya Evades Question of No Muslim Candidates in First List of 189
According to Deccan Herald, the venue was brimming with individuals associated with Shree Sadasya, the Dharmadhikari-family movement. The award bestowed upon Appasaheb Dharmadhikari included a shawl, a citation, a memento, and a generous Rs 25 lakh cheque. Notably, Dharmadhikari graciously donated this sum to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
The Chief Minister Shinde declared that the next of kin of the deceased will receive an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh, and those who are admitted will receive complimentary medical care.