Bareilly, Jan 4 (IANS): Videos from the 'Mahila Marathon' in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly on Tuesday show that the event led to a stampede-like situation with girls tripping and falling over each other.
Sources said that several girls were also injured.
The marathon was a part of the Congress party's election campaign theme 'Ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon' (I am a girl and can fight).
Even as videos and pictures of girls falling on the ground went viral, the Congress maintained that the participants were 'brimming with enthusiasm,' and were doing a warm up exercise.
However, the event completely overlooked Covid protocols and none of the girls were seen wearing masks or maintaining social distancing.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra first gave the election slogan last month, and this marathon comes amidst the rising cases of Covid.