Morbi tragedy: Hospital gets makeover ahead of PM’s visit, draws flak
An overnight primp up of a government hospital in Gujarat’s Morbi, where a bridge collapse claimed 134 lives, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on Tuesday has drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition.
Modi is slated to visit the government-run GMERS Hospital in Morbi, to meet those injured in the bridge collapse incident. At least 100 of the injured people are being treated in the hospital.
Photos of the hospital circulating on the internet showed workers fixing ceilings, mending broken flooring and giving a fresh lick of paint to hospital walls. At two wards where 13 of the injured were admitted, workers were seen hastily changing bedsheets, a prominent news website said.
Sharing a video of the renovation work on Twitter on Monday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that the walls of the hospital were being hurriedly painted to create a perfect photo-op moment for the prime minister.
“141 people have died, hundreds are missing, and no action has been taken against the real culprits, but the BJP is busy planning photoshoots and cover-ups,” AAP tweeted.
Morbi Civil Hospital में रातों रात रंग-पुताई की जा रही है ताकि कल PM Modi के Photoshoot में घटिया बिल्डिंग की पोल ना खुल जाए
141 लोग मर चुके हैं, सैकड़ों लोग लापता हैं, असली दोषियों पर कोई कार्रवाई नहीं हुई लेकिन भाजपाइयों को फोटोशूट करके लीपापोती की पड़ी है..#BJPCheatsGujarat pic.twitter.com/KVDLdblD6C
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) October 31, 2022
Addressing a press conference on Monday (November 1), AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said the BJP government’s corruption led to the tragedy and demanded fresh elections in the state.
The Congress accused the BJP of “shamelessly” creating an event out of a tragedy.
त्रासदी का इवेंट
कल PM मोदी मोरबी के सिविल अस्पताल जाएंगे। उससे पहले वहां रंगाई-पुताई का काम चल रहा है। चमचमाती टाइल्स लगाई जा रही हैं।
PM मोदी की तस्वीर में कोई कमी न रहे, इसका सारा प्रबंध हो रहा है।
इन्हें शर्म नहीं आती! इतने लोग मर गए और ये इवेंटबाजी में लगे हैं। pic.twitter.com/MHYAUsfaoC
— Congress (@INCIndia) October 31, 2022
“The civil hospital is being given a fresh coat of paint and shiny tiles are being fitted ahead of PM Modi’s visit tomorrow. It is being ensured that there is no dearth of pictures of PM Modi. They have no shame! So many people have died, and all they can think of is planning an event,” Congress tweeted.
The Congress Seva Dal, the grassroots wing of the Congress also called the last-minute spruce-up a sign of “Doobta Gujarat.”
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Morbi tomorrow, colour work is being done at the civil hospital at night!!! Vaah! Modi Ji Vaah! Doobta Gujarat,” the organization tweeted.
