In a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, expressed his deep concern and anger over the tragic collapse of a PG building in Satya Niketan. Taking to the social media platform X, Gandhi highlighted what he described as a shameful and recurring pattern of the BJP administration, where prevention is ignored in favor of post-accident rhetoric. He pointed out that while small officials are often made scapegoats and held responsible for such disasters, the real culprits remain free from any accountability.
A Pattern of Negligence and Tragedies
Rahul Gandhi emphasized that the collapse of the building in Satya Niketan, which was filled with students, isn't an isolated incident but part of a series of tragedies occurring in the national capital. He cited specific examples from the last 4 months to illustrate the gravity of the situation. He mentioned the tragedy in Saidulajab where 6 people lost their lives and the fire in Hauz Rani that claimed 22 lives. According to Gandhi, every time such an incident occurs, lives, dreams, and aspirations are buried under the rubble, yet meaningful action remains absent. He criticized the government for its failure to implement preventive measures and for its tendency to engage in blame games after the damage is done.
The Triple Engine Government and Lack of Intent
The Congress leader also took a swipe at the concept of the triple engine government in Delhi. He questioned why the administration appears so helpless despite having control at multiple levels, while gandhi asserted that the root cause of this helplessness is a lack of intent. He stated that where there is no intent, there can be no accountability. He further alleged that for the past 12 years, the government has been misleading the public with various claims without addressing the core issues. He also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for using derogatory labels like dimagi naxal and naraz phupha against those who seek accountability, suggesting that such tactics are meant to shame, defame, and silence those who ask difficult questions.
Congress Demands and Allegations
The Congress party has intensified its criticism, describing the BJP government as a killing machine that takes the lives of students. They alleged that the Prime Minister's PR balloon has burst, exposing the reality of the four engine government in Delhi. Following the collapse of the five story building near Delhi University's South Campus, which resulted in 7 deaths, the opposition party has made several demands. They're calling for strict action against all those responsible for the incident. On top of that, they've demanded that students be provided with affordable housing and that a Rent Control Act be introduced for hostels and PGs. The party has also sought a compensation of 1 crore rupees for the families of those who lost their lives in the tragedy.
Ground Reality and Administrative Failure
During a press conference held with NSUI President Varun Jakhar, Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar expressed his disappointment over the handling of the rescue operations. He noted that even 24 hours after the incident, the situation remains unclear and the debris has not been fully cleared. Kumar raised concerns about the number of people still trapped under the rubble, noting that the PG had a capacity of 45 beds. He pointed out that since the incident occurred on a Sunday, the consequences could have been even more catastrophic if all students had been present. He alleged that laborers were working in the basement and students were sitting on the building's stairs at the time of the collapse. Kumar accused the police administration of not only failing in relief and rescue work but also attempting to hide the truth. He further contrasted the safety of the BJP's five star party offices in every district with the crumbling public infrastructure, such as bridges, roads, and government buildings, questioning when the BJP government would finally take responsibility for these recurring disasters.