The Congress party has called for the resignation of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, citing repeated infrastructure disasters across the state that have claimed numerous lives. The party held the state’s ruling BJP government accountable, particularly in light of the recent Gambhira bridge collapse in Vadodara that has claimed at least 16 lives, with several still missing.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters, Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani and Congress Seva Dal Chairman Lalji Desai strongly criticized the state administration, accusing it of gross negligence and rampant corruption.
Ignored Warnings and Delayed Rescue Blamed for Loss of Life
Jignesh Mevani revealed that residents near the Gambhira bridge had repeatedly warned authorities about the poor condition of the bridge, but their concerns were ignored. He further stated that after the bridge collapsed, there was no immediate response from the government. Local fishermen were the first to act and initiate rescue efforts, while official help arrived almost an hour later by which time, he said, it was too late for many.
A Pattern of Negligence: 16 Bridge Collapses in Four Years
Mevani highlighted that this was not an isolated incident. He said Gujarat had witnessed 16 major bridge-related disasters in the last four years, yet not a single person has been held accountable. Referring to the tragic Morbi bridge collapse that killed 130 people, he claimed the main accused in that case still walks free. Mevani dared the Gujarat CM to name even one official or contractor who has been punished or imprisoned for these disasters.
Cover-Ups and Corruption, Congress Targets Gujarat Home Minister
Accusing Gujarat’s Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi of concealing facts, Mevani said that despite FIRs and charge-sheets being filed in past incidents, no meaningful legal action has been taken. He argued that this points to an organized cover-up and demanded Sanghavi’s resignation.
Bridge Collapses Widespread, Media Highlight Only a Few
Congress Seva Dal Chairman Lalji Desai said that while the media has reported 16 major incidents, the actual number of bridge collapses is far greater, occurring across multiple districts and sub-districts. He accused the state’s political and bureaucratic machinery of being entangled in deep-rooted corruption.
Modani Model Replaces Gujarat Model, Alleges Congress
Desai slammed what he called the collapse of the so-called “Gujarat Model” of governance, claiming it has now morphed into a “Modani Model”a system where blacklisted and unqualified contractors are awarded public projects after allegedly bribing BJP leaders and government officials. According to Desai, politicians and bureaucrats are profiting from public contracts by taking 20% each from every project, turning governance into a corrupt game of profit-sharing.
Congress Seeks High-Level Probe, PM and HM Accountability
The Congress party has demanded the formation of a high-level, independent committee comprising officers with proven integrity to investigate the series of infrastructure collapses. The party also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to answer for the repeated failures, as both leaders hail from Gujarat.
