In the wake of a devastating fire at a Bawana jhuggi cluster that claimed the lives of at least two children and destroyed around 800 slum dwellings, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Atishi launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for her alleged delayed response.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Atishi criticized the Chief Minister and local MLA-cum-Social Welfare Minister for their absence at the site despite being nearby.
She posted:
“Time of fire in 800 slums in Bawana Assembly Constituency: Around 11 AM.
The time when the Chief Minister was listening to ‘Mann Ki Baat’ in Bawana: 11:00 AM.
Chief Minister’s tweet about the fire: 11 PM.
Social Welfare Minister’s tweet: Not yet.
Chief Minister’s visit to the fire location: Not yet.
Social Welfare Minister’s visit: Not yet.”
She accused the Delhi government of inhuman negligence, adding that despite the massive scale of the tragedy, no government representative had visited the victims even hours after the incident.
“800 slums were burned. 2 children were burned alive. The Chief Minister and the local MLA were nearby listening to ‘Mann Ki Baat’ and tweeting about it, but they didn’t have even a minute for the burning slums,” Atishi stated.
Meanwhile, Union Health Minister and BJP President JP Nadda intervened on Sunday, speaking to CM Rekha Gupta and urging immediate assistance for the victims. Nadda also instructed Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva to mobilize party workers to aid relief efforts on the ground.
The tragic fire broke out near Shri Niketan Apartment in Sector 17, Rohini, with initial reports received at 11:55 AM.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer MK Chattopadhyay informed that the narrow lanes hindered fire brigade access, and the blaze was classified as a Medium category fire. Over 26 fire vehicles were deployed to contain the flames.
A heart-wrenching testimony came from Mitthu, a slum resident, who recounted losing his four-year-old son in the fire while he and his wife were away for work.
Authorities are yet to ascertain the exact cause of the fire. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, and further details are awaited.