BJP, Congress try to corner AAP govt for Madi fire

New Delhi : Congress and BJP leaders on Sunday blamed the Arvind Kejriwal government for the fire accident at Anaj Mandi here which claimed 43 lives.

Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari, who visited the spot along with Union Housing and Urban Affairs minister Hardeep Puri, said electricity wires were dangling in the area but no action was taken by government agencies despite repeated complaints.

The Congress too blamed the AAP government and the BJP-led municipal corporations for the incident. "Kejriwal government is responsible for this. The MCDs come under the BJP. They are also equally responsible for it," Delhi Pradesh Congress Commitee President Shubhash Chopra said. Tiwari announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the families of each victim and Rs 25,000 for treatment to the injured, on behalf of the BJP.

The party also cancelled all its programmes on the day in view of the tragedy. Puri said he was moved by the loss of life and he was with the families of the victims in their hour of grief.

"This settlement should not be here, they have been given alternative place but Delhi government has not shifted them," he charged. Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta demanded that the Kejriwal government call an emergency session of the Assembly to discuss ways to prevent such incidents.

"Such incidents have become a regular feature which is very painful. The Kejriwal government should call a special session of the Assembly to stop recurrence of such incidents," Gupta said. Senior BJP leader and former Union minister Vijay Goel said it was the Delhi government''s responsibility to take action against illegal factories running in residential areas and prevent fire incidents.

"It has become a common thing now. Such incidents happen, inquiry is conducted but the government does not do anything. Factories running in residential areas are to be provided plots at alternative places but the government did not do it," he said.

Bihar''s Water Resources Minister Sanjay Jha blamed Delhi''s power department for the tragedy. "I went to the spot, saw a mesh of overhanging wires. It was bound to happen. The power department is responsible for it. The Bihar CM is monitoring the situation and I believe the death toll will cross 43," he said. The Bihar government is trying to identify those injured in the incident and will give Rs 1 lakh ex gratia to the families of the deceased, he added.