Cruel-Hearted Rulers Behind Pune Bridge Tragedy, Government’s Negligence Is Culpable Homicide: Shiv Sena (UBT)

Pune: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) launched a blistering attack on the Mahayuti government over the tragic collapse of the Indrayani River bridge in Pune, which claimed the lives of four tourists and injured 51 others. In a strongly worded editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana, the Thackeray camp termed the incident a “crime of culpable homicide” and held the government directly responsible for its “criminal inaction.”

The editorial alleged, “People with cruel hearts are ruling Maharashtra and the deaths of tourists due to the government’s inaction to repair the dilapidated bridge was a crime of culpable homicide.”

Criticising Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s response, the editorial stated that his gestures of condolence, compensation announcements, and the call for an inquiry were mere theatrics. “The chief minister’s move to offer condolences, announce a compensation to the heirs of the deceased and the inquiry into the incident are a sham, and the Mahayuti leaders are shedding crocodile tears,” it read.

It also targeted State Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan. “Chief Minister’s close associate and state minister of disaster management Girish Mahajan seems to be waiting for such accidents. As soon as an accident occurs, he immediately announces an assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the dead and free treatment to the injured. Girish Mahajan puts the price of the lives lost due to government negligence at Rs 5 lakh each, but why are the lives being lost? But why did these people lose their lives? Who will answer these questions?” asked the Thackeray camp.

Saamana further pointed out that despite the government’s approval of ₹8 crore for the bridge’s reconstruction, no actual work was done. “As all the money was spent on politically beneficial schemes, the state government’s coffers are in tatters. As a result, the bridge on the Indrayani River was not repaired, and people were swept away. This is a crime of culpable homicide.”

The editorial also accused Pune Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar and local MLA Sunil Shelke of negligence. “The Pune district Guardian Minister is Ajit Pawar, and the MLA from Maval, where this terrible accident took place, Sunil Shelke, is Ajit Pawar’s close confidante. The MLA did not see the dilapidated bridge in their village, but he himself spent over a hundred crore rupees to get elected. What exactly does Ajit Pawar do as the Guardian Minister, paying attention to the development of Pune? Builders and landlords develop, but people are swept away when the dilapidated bridge on the Indrayani River collapses,” the editorial noted.

The Saamana editorial painted a grim picture of Maharashtra, listing a series of recent tragedies: “Maharashtra is being hit by accidents and mishaps. Several people from Maharashtra died in the Ahmedabad plane crash. A family from Akola was killed in a helicopter crash in Kedarnath. Five youths drowned in the Godavari River. Three tourists drowned in Charlotte Lake in Matheran. Only sad, disappointing news is coming from all sides.”

Raising concerns about corruption and poor governance, the editorial also cited structural damage at Rajkot fort: “First, the first grand statue there collapsed last year and now the platform of the new statue has caved in. This is a failure of the Public Works Department. Here, the bridge over the Indrayani River collapsed, and there, the platform of the statue of Shivaji Maharaj has deteriorated. So, where exactly did the crores of rupees spent on this go? If you are not going to investigate this, then your announcements of investigations and checks are in vain.”

In a final rebuke, the editorial hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “The pyres of those who died in the plane crash have not been extinguished. The tears of the families have not stopped as the Prime Minister came and left Ahmedabad. The same can be said of the rulers in Maharashtra. The government, which is wasting money on unnecessary projects, does not work on the bridge over the Indrayani River and in a moment, the bridge collapses and people are swept away alive.”

The Shiv Sena (UBT) concluded by questioning the very basis of the “Vikas Purush” narrative. “Railways, rivers, roads and air transport have all become unsafe in the state. A series of such accidents is happening one after another in the country and Maharashtra. This has raised a question mark over the claims of those who call themselves Vikas Purush or survivors of the people. Accidents are happening, people are losing their lives in them, and this is largely due to the government’s inaction,” the editorial declared.