Solve responsibility for Rajkot arsonists, punish them: Cong to Guj government

Regretting the loss of lives in the Rajkot fire tragedy, the Congress on Saturday said the responsibility for the incident should be laid by the BJP government in Gujarat at the earliest and the perpetrators should be given the strictest punishment.

At least 23 people, including children, were killed on Saturday evening in a massive fire that ripped through a gaming zone teeming with people enjoying a summer holiday in Gujarat’s Rajkot city, officials said.

Relief and rescue operations were underway in the affected TRP gaming zone more than five hours after the fire broke out around 4.30 pm in a fiberglass dome built for gaming activities, the officials said, adding that the building collapsed due to the huge explosion. firework.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asked party workers to provide all possible assistance to the accident victims so that the victims do not face any problem regarding treatment or compensation.

In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge said the gruesome tragedy in Rajkot is extremely painful.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wish the injured a speedy recovery,” he said.

Kharge alleged that due to the bad attitude of the state government, such accidents keep happening every now and then and innocent people are losing their lives.

“Our demand from the government is that responsibility for the accident should be determined as soon as possible and the perpetrators should be given the harshest punishment,” the Congress president said.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi also condoled the loss of lives in the incident.

“The news of the death of many people, including innocent children, in a massive fire that broke out in the gaming zone of a mall in Rajkot, Gujarat, is very painful,” he said in a post in Hindi on X.

“I express my deepest condolences to all the relatives. I hope all the injured recover soon,” Gandhi added.

He requested the Congress workers to extend all possible assistance to the government in the relief and rescue work.

“The government and the government of Gujarat are expected to conduct a detailed and impartial investigation into this incident and provide speedy justice to all the bereaved families,” he said.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the news that many people, including children, died in the fire accident in Rajkot is saddening.

“May God grant peace to the departed souls and strength to their families to bear this pain. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families,” she said in a message in Hindi on X.

First print: May 25, 2024 | 11:41 PM IST