As the embers of the Delhi fire smouldered, politics raged over the incident that claimed 43 lives as the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP traded charges over allowing illegal factories to have an unencumbered run in the national capital.
The sharp exchanges between the two parties came ahead of the assembly elections to the Delhi assembly expected next month where BJP is aiming to make a comeback as Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit looks to tighten its grip over the capital.
“Such incidents happen, inquiry is conducted but the Delhi government does nothing. Factories running in residential areas were to be provided plots at alternative places, but the government did not do it,” senior BJP leader Vijay Goel said here.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh hit back at the BJP seeking to put the blame on the running of illegal factories on the municipal corporation controlled by the BJP.
“If a factory was operating illegally at a house, then it was the responsibility of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to shut it down. How did the MCD allow the factory to run,” Singh told reporters.
BJP has controlled the three civic bodies governing the national capital, where AAP had made an unsuccessful bid gain power in 2017. Congress, the third political force in the capital, has been reduced to a fringe player.
Delhi Congress chief Subhash Chopra targeted both the AAP and BJP for the tragedy. “Kejriwal government is responsible for this. The BJP controls the civic corporations, they are also equally responsible for this,” Chopra said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri visited the site of the fire incident at Anaj Mandi in north Delhi.