Journalism of Courage
The Morbi administration’s “negligence” and “misgovernance” have been at the centre of debate since the bridge collapse that has left at least 134 people dead. Officials in the Gujarat municipality drew further attack as photos emerged on Monday night of the government-run GMERS Hospital, where most of the injured are admitted, getting a hasty makeover ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on Tuesday.
The Indian Express saw rusted beds and side-tables in the paediatric ward on the first floor of GMERS Hospital that is now housing the survivors getting a fresh coat of paint, walls and ceilings being rid of cobwebs, and cracked tiles and flooring being repaired.
Tweeting a video of workers painting the walls of the hospital, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the most vocal rival of the BJP in the coming Gujarat elections, tweeted: “141 people are dead, hundreds of people are missing, no action has been taken against the real culprits, but BJP workers are more concerned over photoshoots and cover-ups.”
AAP also tweeted that “had the Gujarat government done any work in the past 27 years, there would have been no need for this last-minute whitewash”.
The Congress said the arrangements were being done to ensure “there should be no shortage in pictures of PM Modi”. Sharing the pictures of the last-minute revamp on its official Twitter handle, the party said: “They are not ashamed! So many people died and they are engaged in eventing.”
The party’s grassroot organisation, Congress Seva Dal, also condemned the act, tweeting: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Morbi tomorrow, color work is being done at the civil hospital at night!!! Vaah! Modi Ji Vaah! Doobta Gujarat.”
Adding a hint of sarcasm to her criticism, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said: “In a hospital with gleaming walls and new tiles, the injured might feel better — there’s hope.”
An advocate and activist Brijesh Kalappa tweeted, “In BJP’s Gujarat model 130 people died in the bridge collapse at Morbi yesterday, so what is the BJP administration upto today?! Sprucing up the government hospital for the PM’s visit.”
Earlier, the Opposition had attacked the Gujarat government over the incident, asking if it was an “act of God” or “act of fraud”, alluding to PM Modi’s line of attack against the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal when a flyover collapsed in Kolkata on March 31, 2016, killing many.
Modi, who is touring Gujarat, did not visit Morbi on Monday, which was also questioned by the Congress. He addressed three events in the state, and speaking at one at the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, to mark Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary, said while his thoughts were with the people of Morbi, “karma” and “kartavya” had led him to Kevadia.
