Morbi tragedy: Congress demands increase in compensation, probe by HC judge
On Sunday evening, hundreds of people fell into the Machchhu river in Gujarat’s Morbi district after a cable suspension bridge they were walking on collapsed
The Morbi tragedy on Sunday has raised a lot of questions against the administration under the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Gujarat, which is heading to polls later this year, with All India Congress Committee general secretary and Gujarat in-charge Raghu Sharma on Monday demanding an investigation by a sitting high court judge and an increase in the compensation provided to the families of the deceased.
Sharma alleged that the decision to reopen the British-era bridge, which was under renovation for a few months till was thrown open to the public on October 26, was taken in haste for political mileage and financial gains.
“The decision to open the bridge was taken in haste for political mileage and financial gains. It is an act of criminal negligence. We demand that the incident should be probed by a sitting high court judge, and strict action should be taken against the guilty,” he said, adding that the compensation provided to the families is inadequate and it should be increased independently by the Centre and the state government.
He alleged that while the FIR lodged in the case does not name anyone, the bridge didn’t have a fitness certificate, and questioned how people beyond the bridge’s capacity were allowed to get on it.
“It is an unfortunate incident and a result of negligence. If the rescue teams would have reached on time, more lives could have been saved,” Sharma said before a Congress delegation senior leaders reached Morbi.
Also Read:How bridge collapse in Gujarat’s Morbi happened
In a horrific incident that unfolded on Sunday evening, hundreds of people fell into the Machchhu river in Gujarat’s Morbi district after a cable suspension bridge they were walking on collapsed.
More than 130 people have lost their lives, while multiple teams of NDRF, SDRF, Indian Army and other relief organisations have been deployed to fish out bodies and help the injured. Around 400-500 people were on the bridge at the time of the incident.
The Congress on Monday postponed all their events, including five rallies, to Tuesday.