Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, May 23: In the wake of the tragic temple stampede at Shirgao that claimed six lives earlier this month, Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday emphasised the urgent need for better planning and crowd management at religious gatherings by the district administration.
Speaking at an interaction with All India Services Officers in Goa, Dhankhar said, “District administration must thoughtfully plan for events like religious fairs where there are large gatherings to avoid any mishap.” He referred to the Shree Devi Lairai Zatra stampede as a painful reminder of what poor planning and inadequate law enforcement can lead to. The incident also left nearly 100 people injured, and a state-appointed fact-finding committee held both the district administration and police accountable.
Reinforcing the role of bureaucracy, the Vice President said, “It reflects the spirit of accountability and transparency and can shape public mindset in favour of order and discipline.” He warned against bureaucratic ingratiation with political leaders, calling it a threat to its integrity: “Ingratiation... is bound to bring about its emasculation and it must be avoided.”
Dhankhar also hailed the role of the civil services in an aspirational India, saying, “After a decade of impressive growth, the people have tasted development. Bureaucracy must help citizens leverage available opportunities.”
Earlier, during a separate event at Raj Bhavan, the Vice President advocated for mainstreaming India’s traditional knowledge systems, especially alternative medicine. “India is the home of alternative medicine... Let us not confine our ancient texts to libraries,” he said, referring to legendary Ayurvedic scholars like Charaka, Sushruta, and Dhanvantri.
He urged the nation to pursue evidence-based validation, digitisation, and interdisciplinary research to make ancient Indian wisdom accessible for contemporary healthcare challenges. “The WHO recognising our heritage by setting up a global centre for traditional medicine in Jamnagar is a powerful affirmation of our legacy,” he added.
Dhankhar concluded by stating, “We are rediscovering our roots—and we must bring timeless ideas to life through innovation.”