A fire broke out on the final day of ‘Ayutha Chandi Maha Yagam’ of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at his farmhouse near here, which led to President Pranab Mukherjee skipping the event.
The president was to participate in Purnahoti, the final rituals of the five-day mega religious event organised by the chief minister for world peace and people’s wellbeing.
Mukherjee, who is on a southern sojourn here, was to reach the farmhouse at Erravalli in Medak district after attending another programme in Hyderabad.
Governor E S L Narasimhan and his wife, the chief minister and his wife attended the concluding programme of the final rituals conducted amid the chanting of Vedic hymns by about 2,000 ‘rutwiks’ in the presence of thousands of people.
Sparks from ‘homagundam’ (fire pit) led to the accident, damaging a part of Yagashala, the temporary structure made of bamboo and grass. Fire personnel immediately swung into action and doused the blaze.
The chief minister, his cabinet colleagues, other VIPs and priests were not present at the Yagashala as the fire broke out during lunch break.
The accident created panic among people who ran out of the Yagashala. The police removed barricades to prevent stampedes.Over 60,000 people were present at the venue when the fire broke out.
According to a statement from the chief minister’s office, normalcy was brought in few minutes and Purnahoti was completed in a smooth manner.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu participated in the yagam on the last day. Clad in traditional dress he was accompanied by some of his cabinet colleagues.
Naidu was also accompanied by federal minister Sujana Chowdary and Deputy Chief Minister K E Krishna Murthy.
The event saw participation by Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah on the second day. Central ministers M Venkaiah Naidu and Bandaru Dattatreya, leaders of various parties, judges, police officials, celebrities and others VIPs also attended the event.
Congress leaders have alleged that close to Rs200mn have been spent on what is billed as a private religious function. However, the chief minister had earlier clarified that no government money was being spent for the event.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party had also disapproved of the exorbitant splurge of money and misusing government machinery for a personal event, though it supported performing “yagnas and yagas” for the larger public good.