Shiv Sena (UBT) has criticized the government, alleging that the recent fire incidents at a Delhi hotel and a Bihar hospital, resulting in numerous deaths, have once again highlighted serious administrative issues. The party expressed concern that ordinary citizens are losing their lives in these fires, likening it to their lives turning to ashes like camphor.
The party, in its editorial in the Saamana mouthpiece, pointed out that despite claims of significant changes in the country, the reality remains grim. It highlighted the prevalence of unauthorised constructions collapsing, fires breaking out in hotels and restaurants, and hospitals facing devastating blazes, indicating a failure in governance.
The editorial criticized the common practice of attributing such tragedies to “short circuits,” with owners, operators, and authorities shirking responsibility. It predicted that the government would take superficial actions and shift blame onto someone else rather than addressing the root causes of these disasters.
Shiv Sena also lamented the loss of lives in the recent fire incidents in Delhi and Bihar, occurring amidst existing challenges like inflation. The editorial emphasized that while disasters can be sudden, the authorities cannot evade accountability for the lapses that lead to such tragedies, holding the BJP-led governments in Delhi and Bihar responsible.
The editorial highlighted the responses of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, who have promised thorough investigations and strict actions against those responsible. However, Shiv Sena questioned the effectiveness of such measures in bringing back lost lives and criticized the tendency to resort to crackdowns and inquiries only after public outrage subsides.
The party further accused the government of negligence in maintenance and inspections, alleging that compensating victims’ families is often used as a tactic to deflect accountability. It criticized the authorities for offering monetary compensation while avoiding taking responsibility for the systemic failures leading to such tragedies.
