Opposition parties raised concerns against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi, and doubted the recurrence of such incidents in the capital.
The massive fire that broke out at a hotel in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar, which killed at least 21 people and hospitalized many others, has sparked sharp political reactions.
The Delhi government confirmed that an investigation would be conducted and responsibility determined, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta saying that necessary assistance and support had been provided to those affected.
However, opposition parties raised concerns against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi, questioning the recurrence of such incidents in the capital. Arvind Kejriwal, national coordinator of the Aam Aadmi Party, said, “The repeated incidents of fires in Delhi and the killing of innocent people is very disturbing,” while praying for “the souls of those who lost their lives.”
Read also | Desperate leaps, no ventilation: How fire spread at south Delhi BnB and suffocated to death 21 people, including foreigners
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said locals had to “spread mattresses” to rescue those trapped, calling it an “international disgrace” in a post on X. Bharadwaj said that although the fire station is located just 3 minutes behind the police station, they arrived “45 minutes late”.
The fire was reported at Flourish Stay B&B, near Max Hospital, and the fire department was called at 8:48 a.m. Wednesday. The fire was extinguished with the help of eight fire engines, while more than 40 people were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. PTI news agency quoted officials as saying that many of the dead were foreigners, most of them from Central Asia and Africa. An FIR was lodged on charges of murder by the Delhi Police.
Condolences poured in for the deceased and their families, with prayers for a speedy recovery for those who suffered burns and are receiving treatment. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the incident was “extremely heartbreaking”, while India’s Vice President C P Radhakrishnan said he was “deeply saddened” and prayed for the families of the people affected. Union Ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh also expressed their condolences over the loss of lives and extended support and strength to the bereaved families.
CM says situation is under ‘monitoring’ and Delhi minister promises action
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta extended her “heartfelt condolences” to the families of the deceased, while saying she was “deeply saddened” by the loss of lives in the fire. Gupta said the situation is being “closely monitored”, saying all necessary assistance and medical support is being provided to the affected families.
Delhi Minister Ashish Sood promised to take strict action against those convicted and crack down on illegal structures. “The owner of the building responsible for negligence will be arrested. We will not spare any illegal construction and those found guilty,” Sood told news agency ANI.
Union Minister Rajnath Singh prayed for the “speedy recovery” of those hospitalized and offered his condolences. “I extend my deepest condolences to those who lost their loved ones in this accident. I pray to God to give them the strength to bear this immense grief,” Singh said in a post on X. BJP MP Ramveer Bidhuri described the incident as “tragic”, adding that the government’s immediate focus was on the injured receiving proper treatment. “…an investigation has been ordered to determine the cause of the accident and identify those responsible,” Bidhuri told news agency PTI.
‘Government must fix its responsibility’: Opn leaders highlight past fire incidents
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Wednesday highlighted previous incidents of fires in the capital, while accusing the ruling government of “irresponsibility”. Referring to the fires in Palam and Vivek Vihar, and the building collapse in Saket, Bharadwaj raised concerns about the response time of the fire brigade.
He added, according to what was reported by ANI news agency, “The response of firefighters is very poor. After receiving information about a fire, it takes between 45 minutes to an hour and a half.” He further alleged that the government is “blaming” those who came to India from other countries. “The government has activated its toolkit… these poor people who have come here from Africa and other countries out of necessity, and are staying in bungalows and hotels… you blame them,” Bharadwaj added.
Read also | 18 foreigners among 21 killed in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar fire; Victims from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Africa
Meanwhile, Delhi Congress unit chief Devendra Yadav also raised the Palam and Vivek Vihar incidents, saying the “situation is similar”. Yadav also criticized the fire department’s response and accused the government of not taking “any effective action”.
“Firefighters and firefighters often arrive after the entire incident has occurred. Nobody seems to care whether these establishments are licensed or not,” Yadav told PTI. He also added that although permission was given for six rooms in the B&B, only 24 rooms were operational there. “We raised these concerns after the Vivek Vihar incident and again after the Palam incident. We tried to sensitize the government about the seriousness of the problem, but the government seems to have not taken any effective action,” Yadav said.
