The Bawana fire tragedy that claimed 17 lives, triggered a fierce political blame game via social media in the form of tweets, videos and media statements, as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) engaged in a war of words, while the Congress sought a judicial probe into the incident.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal retweeted a video clip, that purportedly showed North Delhi Mayor Preety Agarwal murmuring something into the ears of her aides during her visit to the accident site last night, which has gone viral. Agarwal, however, claimed the video that was “being made viral was “fake” and sought apology from the CM.
“Arvind Kejriwal by retweeting the video has resorted to dirty politics and he should apologise for that,” she said and also posted on her Twitter handle.
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari also backed the Mayor. “What could have been more worse than Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal retweeting an untruthful video at a time when 17 people have died in a tragedy,” he tweeted.
Tiwari also claimed that the factory, where the fire occurred, was of the Delhi Government and its “licence was given through industry department.” Meanwhile, AAP Delhi unit chief and labour Minister Gopal Rai held a Press conference at the party office where he said the labour department will probe the case as well.
“The MCD issues licenses. The Delhi Government issues licenses too. The investigation is underway, only the probe will reveal who was responsible for it — MCD or Delhi’s Govt’s officers,” Rai said. The Delhi Government on Saturday announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh each to the injured.
Senior BJP leader and New Delhi MP Meenakshi lekhi also defended the Mayor claiming, “She was only talking about the North Corporation resolution abolishing factory licenses that was pending.
AAP’s Delhi unit’s chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj hit back at the BJP, saying the MCD (which is ruled by the BJP) is responsible for giving permission for constructions. “It is quite
audible that she is whispering in the ears of her aides that we will not speak on this because we have given license to this factory. This itself is extra-judicial confession of the MCD Mayor.”
Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken visited the site on Sunday and demanded a judicial probe into it. He also questioned the role of the Delhi Government agencies and said it should be probed.
“We demand a judicial probe. The role of Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) and the pollution department cannot be investigated in a magesterial inquiry,” Maken told reporters at the site.
On Saturday night, a number of BJP leaders, including two Union ministers, and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, had visited the site of the disaster. While Kejriwal had said the truth about the functioning of the factory will come out only after the inquiry, which his Government has ordered, the Delhi BJP had questioned the “delay” on part of the ruling party to reach out the affected families.
Union Ministers Harsh Vardhan, Vijay Goel and BJP’s Delhi unit president Manoj Tiwari also visited the site. “Visited the site of #BawanaFire and #MahirshiValmikiHospital at Pooth Khurd, where two of the injured are being treated - 24-year-old Roop Prakash and 45- year-old Sunita. Both have fractures on their legs and would require surgical interventions. Appear to be out of danger,” Vardhan had tweeted.
Health Minister Satyendar Jain told reporters at Baba Saheb Aambdekar hospital that “the toughest of actions shall be taken against those found guilty”.
Meanwhile, a senior civic body official claimed, “The North Coproration did not issue any license on property no. F 83, Sector 5 in DSIIDC Industrial Area, Bawana. Once in 2014, someone had applied for license online which was rejected.”