Delhi | Coaching centre tragedy triggers AAP-BJP political slugfest

The death of the three UPSC aspirants due to sudden flooding in the basement of a coaching centre in the Rajendra Nagar area of West Delhi has sparked an intense war of words between the ruling AAP and the BJP.

Resorting to the blame game, the BJP’s Delhi unit has hit out at the AAP regime as well as the municipal corporation for “criminal negligence” and “lack of desilting”, which led to these deaths. However, Delhi Urban Development Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj targeted the LG for the alleged inaction against officials who have not undertaken the desilting work properly.

BJP leaders attacked the Delhi government after the incident calling it “murder” due to inadequate drainage arrangements in the national capital. BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj on Monday slammed the AAP government and said the Delhi government’s “utter and absolute apathy led to the death of three IAS aspirants in a coaching centre.”

BJP, AAP trade barbs

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Bansuri accused the Delhi government of not doing any work in the national capital. “The criminal negligence of the ruling party in Delhi has caused the deaths of these three students. For a decade, AAP has been enjoying power in Delhi, but has done nothing for the people of Delhi. MCD has been under AAP for the last 2 years and the Delhi Jal Board is also under them. The residents of Old Rajinder Nagar were continuously complaining to the local MLA, Councillor and officers, but no action was initiated. I request the Home Ministry to form a committee to investigate the matter,” she added.

AAP MLA and MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak accused the BJP of indulging in politics. “The BJP was in power in MCD for the last 15 years. It did not work on drainage but is doing politics now. It has been exposed,” he said. On the BJP leaders blaming him for the tragedy, he said, “BJP should also answer what they did? They had a councillor for the last 15 years, why was the drain not built? All the drains cannot be built in one year. There is no need to do politics here.”

Pradhan evades reply

The government issued guidelines on the regulation of coaching centres in January this year, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed Lok Sabha on Monday, even as he evaded a direct reply to a question on the death of three IAS aspirants in Delhi due to flooding.

During the Question Hour, Congress MP KC Venugopal mentioned the death of the three students and said the institute had no approved building. “Without an approved building, without any facility, some of the coaching centres become mafia... is the government going to take any action,” he asked.

LG visits coaching hub

Delhi LG VK Saxena on Monday visited the coaching hub of Old Rajinder Nagar and interacted with students protesting over the death of three civil services aspirants after their institute’s basement got flooded with rainwater.

Officials said the protesting students explained their grievances to Saxena who assured them that action will be taken in the matter.

The angry students raised the slogan "we want justice", insisting that the LG join them and speak instead of standing behind the barricade erected by the police.

As the sloganeering intensified, Saxena returned without properly addressing them.

He, however, said, “I am with you.” He said it was his promise that nobody responsible for the deaths of the students will be spared.

Saxena on Sunday directed the divisional commissioner to submit a report on the death of the students in the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar due to a rain-induced flooding.

(With agency inputs)