Delhi: Blame game erupts as huge fire kills 43
The programme was held for inauguration of sewer line laying work in Timarpur, Mukherjee Nagar and Indira Vikas Colony.
New Delhi: The Aanaj Mandi fire incident, in which 43 people were killed, trigged a political battle in national capital when both Congress and BJP leaders on Sunday blamed the Delhi government for the tragic incident at Aanaj Mandi.
Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari, who visited the spot along with Union housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Puri, said electricity wires were dangling in the area but no action was taken by government agencies despite repeated complaints. The Congress too blamed the AAP government and the BJP-led municipal corporations for the incident. The AAP, however, accused the BJP of playing politics over the massive fire, saying the BJP-run MCD has to be held accountable for the deadly incident.
Policemen and NDRF personnel at the site. (Photo: PTI, BIPLAB BANERJEE, PRITAM BANDYOPADHYAY)
Mr Tiwari hit out at chief minister Arvind Kejriwal saying he has shown “insensitiveness” by attending a programme for inauguration of a sewer line project in Timarpur on a day 43 lives were lost in a fire incident in the city. The ruling AAP, however, dismissed Mr Tiwari’s charge saying the inauguration event was wrapped up by paying condolence to the victims of the fire incident.
“At a time when entire Delhi is shrouded in grief, 43 families have been devastated and many are injured... The Delhi chief minister is organising ‘Badhai Timarpur’ programme. Kejriwal ji, how can you be so insensitive?” Mr Tiwari said in a tweet in Hindi.
The programme was held for inauguration of sewer line laying work in Timarpur, Mukherjee Nagar and Indira Vikas Colony. A banner carrying “Badhai Timarpur” message was put up on the stage which Mr Kejriwal shared with other guests of the event.
Senior AAP leader and party spokesperson Dilip Pandey, who attended the programme, said that the event was turned into a condolence meet and was wrapped up with a brief speech by the chief minister. The AAP accused the BJP of playing politics over the massive fire at Anaj Mandi here which claimed 43 lives, saying the BJP-run MCD has to be held accountable for the deadly incident. AAP senior leader Sanjay Singh said it was the responsibility of Municipal Corporation of Delhi to shut the factory if it was found to be running illegally.
AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha said it was “shameful and unfortunate” that BJP was playing politics over the fire incident. “Even if questions are raised, then BJP-run MCD should be held accountable for giving licenses,” he said.
The Congress blamed the AAP government and the BJP-led municipal corporations for the incident. “The Arvind Kejriwal government is responsible for this. The MCDs come under the BJP. They are also equally responsible for it,” Delhi Congress Committee president Shubhash Chopra said.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh said: “It is a very sad incident. But I feel sorry that BJP is doing politics over it at this time as well.”