The Madhya Pradesh Congress has alleged that rampant corruption in transport department is solely responsible for the deaths of innocent passengers travelling in bus, which plunged into the gorge at Pandav Falls near Panna on Monday. In a statement on Tuesday, Chief spokesperson of State Congress KK Mishra said that buses plying in the State are openly flouting rules. Unauthorised transportation and collusion of political leaders, criminals and transport department for invested interests led to the accident and demanded resignation of Transportation Minister Bhupendra Singh.
He also alleged that the political leaders across the State and officials of Transport department are involved in unauthorised transportation and for the smooth operation, criminals at the local levels are roped in for support. After the incident, allegations of the partnership of relatives of the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the bus service operator Verma Travels has been raised.
Few years ago, a bus was set ablaze and entry gate was locked from outside after a dispute over money between unauthorised bus operators on Mhow to Dhamnod area surfaced at Indore-Mumbai road in which several passengers including children died. Soon after the incident, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had instructed to make the installation of emergency gate apart from the main gate compulsory in every bus across the State and failing to install emergency gate would attract cancellation of permit, but till date no heed has been paid to the instructions.
This signifies that the instructions of the Chief Minister are not important or the bus mafia is fearless and patronised. Raising serious allegations, Mishra said that providing part of massive earnings from the unauthorised transportation to the transportation minister is responsible for such incidents and the claims of Congress are supported by the injured driver of the bus, which plunged into gorge killing around 50 people. Mishra demanded registration of criminal case against BJP leader and the Panna RTO, besides, the arrest of the bus owner.