NEW DELHI:
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused the BJP government of failing to prevent the Satya Niketan building collapse and alleged that authorities routinely avoid accountability after such tragedies.
Reacting to the collapse of a five-storey building used as a paying guest accommodation near Delhi University’s South Campus, Gandhi said the incident was not an isolated tragedy and criticised what he described as a pattern of inadequate preventive action followed by statements and blame-shifting after accidents.
Gandhi questioned how such an incident could occur despite Delhi having what he described as a “triple-engine” government. He argued that the problem was a lack of political will and accountability.
In a post on X, Gandhi alleged that the BJP government repeatedly failed to take preventive measures before accidents and, after disasters, shifted responsibility to lower-level officials while the “real culprits” escaped accountability.
He also referred to other recent tragedies in Delhi, including the deaths in a building collapse at Saidulajab and a major fire in Hauz Rani, to argue that safety failures were recurring rather than isolated incidents.
Gandhi further criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over what he described as derogatory labels being used against people who question the government. He alleged that such remarks were intended to shame and silence critics demanding accountability.
The Congress leader’s comments came as rescue operations continued following the Satya Niketan collapse, which killed seven people.
The tragedy has also brought renewed attention to the shortage of affordable hostels for students in Delhi. Gandhi had earlier said inadequate hostel facilities were forcing students to live in crowded and potentially unsafe private PG accommodations.
Student organisations have separately demanded inspections and structural safety audits of PG accommodations across Delhi, along with action against operators and officials responsible for violations.
The collapse has thus emerged as both a safety crisis and a political flashpoint, with opposition parties demanding greater scrutiny of construction practices, building permissions and regulation of student accommodation in the capital.