‘Repeated incidents’, ‘international shame’: Oppn slams govt over Malviya Nagar blaze, minister assures action

THe monolithic blaze out at a hotel in Delhi's Malviya Nagar, which killed at to the lowest degree 21 people and led to several others beingness hospitalised, has drawn sharp-worded political reactions.The Delhi government assured an inquiry and fixing of responsibility, with chief minister Rekha Gupta saying necessary assistance and support was being provided to those affected.However, the opposition parties raised concerns against the ruling BJP in Delhi, and questioning the frequency of such incidents in the Capital. Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said the “repeated fire incidents in Delhi and the deaths of innocent people are extremely worrying”, while praying for the “souls of those who lost their lives.” Also Read | Desperate jumps, no ventilation: How fire at South Delhi BnB spread and choked to death 21, including foreignersAAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said locals had to “spread mattresses” to rescue those trapped, terming it an “international shame” in a post on X. Bharadwaj said that while the fire station is just 3 minutes away behind the police station, they had reached “45 minutes late.” The blaze was reported at Flourish Stay B&B, near Max Hospital, with the fire department being called in at 8:48 am on Wednesday. The fire was extinguished with the assistance of eight fire tenders, with more than 40 persons rescued and shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment. Several of those killed are foreigners, mainly from Central Asia and Africa, PTI news agency quoted officials as saying. An FIR was filed under charges of culpable homicide by the Delhi Police.Condolences poured in for the deceased and their families, along with the prayers for the speedy recovery of those who had suffered burns and were receiving treatment. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said the incident was “extremely heartbreaking”, while Vice President of India CP Radhakrishnan said it was “deeply distressing” and prayed for the families of the affected people. Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh also condoled the loss of lives, extending support and strength to the bereaved families.CM says situation being ‘monitored’, Delhi minister promises actionDelhi chief minister Rekha Gupta extended “heartfelt condolences” to the families of the deceased, while saying she was “deeply saddened” by the loss of lives in the fire. Gupta said the situation was being “closely monitored”, saying all necessary medical assistance and support were being extended to the affected families. Delhi minister Ashish Sood promised strict action against those found guilty and a crackdown on illegal buildings. “The building owner who is responsible for negligence will be arrested. We will not spare any illegal building and those found guilty,” Sood told ANI news agency.Union minister Rajnath Singh prayed for the “swift recovery” of those hospitalised, and extended his condolences. “I extend my deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this incident. I pray to God that He grants them the strength to bear this immense sorrow,” Singh said in a post on X. BJP MP Ramvir Bidhuri termed the incident as “tragic”, adding that the government's immediate focus was on the injured receiving proper treatment. “…An inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the incident and identify those responsible,” Bidhuri told PTI news agency.‘Govt should fix its responsibility’: Oppn leaders highlight past fire incidentsAAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Wednesday highlighted previous incidents of blazes in the Capital, while accusing the ruling government of “no responsibility.” Bharadwaj pointed out the fires in Palam and Vivek Vihar, and the building collapse in Saket, and raised concerns over the response time of the fire brigade. “The fire brigade's response time is very bad. After receiving information about a fire, it takes 45 minutes to one and a half hours,” he said, according to ANI news agency. He further alleged that the government was “blaming” those who had come to India from other countries. “The government has activated its toolkit... Those poor people who have come here from Africa and other countries out of necessity, and are staying in small houses and hotels... You are blaming them,” Bharadwaj added.Also Read | 18 foreigners among 21 dead in Delhi Malviya Nagar fire; victims from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, AfricaMeanwhile, Delhi Congress unit chief Devendra Yadav also brought up the Palam and Vivek Vihar incidents, saying the “situation was similar”. Yadav also criticised the response of the fire department, while accusing the government of taking “no effective action”.“The fire tenders and firefighters often arrive after the incident has already unfolded completely. No one seems to be paying attention to whether such establishments are authorised or not,” Yadav told PTI. He further added that while permission had been granted for six rooms at the B&B, 24 rooms were being operated there. “We raised these concerns after the Vivek Vihar incident and again after the Palam incident. We tried to make the government aware of the seriousness of the issue, but it appears that the government has taken no effective action,” Yadav stated.