Rahul meets kin of victims of game zone fire, Morbi bridge collapse & Harni boat capsize

“Rahul Gandhi interacted with the family members of victims, understood their issues, and promised that he will raise them in Parliament so that justice is done,” said Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani who coordinated the interaction.

Narendra Parmar, who lost his 10-year-old daughter in the Morbi bridge collapse, said they have lost faith in the “corrupt system” in the BJP-ruled Gujarat. “I told Gandhi that all the key accused are out on bail and court proceedings are going on at a very slow pace. We have lost our faith in this corrupt system,” he said.

“Gandhi promised us that he will take up our cause and raise the issue in Parliament so that we get justice at the earliest,” Parmar told PTI.

As many as 135 people died after a British-era suspension bridge over Machchhu river in Morbi town collapsed on October 30, 2022. The bridge was maintained by Oreva Group. The company’s CMD Jaysukh Patel was granted bail in March.

Sandhya Nizama, who lost her nine-year-old son in the Harni boat capsize incident in Vadodara, alleged justice was not done because the many culprits were let off by the police. “Though police arrested some people, many key people responsible for this tragedy are still roaming free. No action was taken against the school management who took our children for this trip. Officials are also misleading the court. Gandhi has promised that he will raise our issue in the Lok Sabha,” said Nizama.

Twelve school students and two teachers were killed when a boat capsized in Motnath lake in Harni area of Vadodara on January 18. The Vadodara Municipal Corporation had awarded the contract to maintain and operate the lakefront project to Kotia Projects, whose partners were subsequently arrested.

Santoshben Kathad, who lost her younger sister Asha Kathad in the TRP Game Zone fire in Rajkot, said they did not trust the probe being conducted by the state government. “We invited Rahul Gandhi to join the stir we are planning to launch because we have no faith in the investigation. Gandhi told me he will remain by our side till we get justice. He also promised to raise this issue in Parliament,” said Kathad.

As many as 27 people, including children, were killed in the massive fire that swept through the game zone on May 25. Asha Kathad was one of the employees who was charred to death as she was trapped inside.

Vashram Sarvaiya, one of the four Dalits who were flogged by cow vigilantes in July 2016 at a village near Una town, complained that the government failed to fulfil the promises made by then chief minister Anandiben Patel. “Patel had promised us jobs as per the qualification. She had also promised a fast-track court for a speedy trial. But no promise was kept. All the 40-odd accused are out on bail,” Sarvaiya said.

Gandhi also met the families of the five detained Congress workers by Ahmedabad Police following the clash between BJP and Congress workers outside the party office on January 2.

Meanwhile, ahead of Gandhi’s visit, the police detained a large number of VHP and Bajrang Dal workers, as they were trying to reach the Congress office in Paldi, located barely a kilometer-and-a-half away from the VHP office.
Amid heavy deployment of police personnel outside the VHP office, agitating members also tried to burn Gandhi’s effigy but were stopped by the police. The managed to deface his posters.