‘Morbi collapse shamed fair name of Gujarat’, Chidambaram attacks BJP

P Chidambaram, a Congress leader, criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday for the bridge collapse in Morbi, Gujarat, last week that claimed over 130 lives and pointed out that no one from the administration had truly offered an apology to the general public.

“… most shocking development is that no one, on behalf of government, has apologised for the tragedy,” he said.

No one has resigned taking responsibility. Morbi bridge collapse has brought shame to the fair name of Gujarat,” he said, taking on the BJP in prime minister Narendra Modi’s home state, where an election is due next month.

According to reports, 135 people perished when Morbi’s Hanging Bridge, a popular tourist site that suspended a walkway over the Machchu River, collapsed.

According to preliminary investigations, the bridge collapsed due to crowds and was improperly cleared before being reopened following refurbishment work by Oreva, a private company that makes wall clocks and e-bikes.

A senior official said (on condition of anonymity) some procedural lapses had been uncovered in the agreement between the firm and Morbi civic authorities.

The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, which are attempting to unseat the BJP in the upcoming Assembly election, led the case against the Gujarat administration for failing to act promptly and strongly enough after the accident.

On Monday another Congress leader – Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot – said the tragedy had ‘exposed the misgovernance of the BJP’s 27-year rule…’

The Gujarat High Court has asked for a report from the state government and has also issued a notice to officials to file a status report by November 14.

The matter will be heard again on that date.