Government response to earthquake has shortcomings, concedes Turkish president
Death count in Turkey-Syria crosses 15,000 as debris, weather hampers rescue work
Antakya: Turkish President Recep Tarrip Erdogan admitted on Wednesday to the government response to the disaster that has killed more than 15,000 people in Turkey and Syria having ‘shortcomings’.
Facing intense and growing criticism online to the way the Turkish government handled the situation after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit the region, Erdogan visited Kahramanmaras, which was not only one of the worst-hit spots but also the epicenter of the quake, reports NDTV.
The president acknowledged problems in the government response to the mishap. "Of course, there are shortcomings. The conditions are clear to see. It's not possible to be ready for a disaster like this," he said.
Rescuers have struggled to carry out the work amid not just the thousands of buildings that collapsed but also the freezing weather. The survivors, meanwhile, have been struggling to get food and shelter. They have also had to helplessly watch their relatives breathe their last after calling out for help from beneath the debris.
Expressing her pain, Semire Coban, a kindergarten teacher, in Turkey's Hatay, has said, "My nephew, my sister-in-law and her sister are in the ruins. There is no sign of life… We are trying to talk to them, but they are not responding... We are waiting for help. It has been 48 hours now.”
Officials and medical officers said that a total of 15,383 people had died – 12,391 in Turkey and at least 2,992 in Syria. Experts fear that the numbers will only rise sharply.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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