Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday visited Gujarat’s Morbi, the site of the bridge collapse that claimed 135 lives, and met the survivors in a local hospital, whose overnight makeover and other hurried civil works kicked up a storm.
Modi flew from Gandhinagar to Morbi town in a chopper and inspected the the British-era suspension bridge that snapped on Sunday when hundreds of tourists were on the structure. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi accompanied Modi.
But his inspection and subsequent visit to the civil hospital, where six survivors are recuperating, were overshadowed by controversies.
The huge signboard of Oreva Group, the company that had the contract to repair and maintain the structure, at the bridge tower was covered with a white sheet, raising eye brows.
Authorities also spruced up the Morbi civil hospital when the PM’s visit was confirmed. Walls received a fresh coat of pain, beds got new linens and a brand new water cooler arrived, as the hospital was transformed overnight on a war footing.
Modi also visited the office of Morbi district SP and held a meeting with senior officials including CM Patel, Sanghavi among others. Modi, who was briefed about the investigation, is learnt to have demanded a thorough investigation.
“Went to Morbi, which witnessed the horrific bridge mishap. Met the bereaved families and extended condolences. I visited the site of the tragedy and went to the hospital where the injured are recovering,” Modi tweeted.
Opposition parties had a field day posting pictures of the hospital’s makeover at the time of mourning and attacked Modi for doing “event management” to garner sympathy ahead of the Assembly election.
AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed that the bridge collapsed due to “corruption” and sought resignation of the chief minister.
Kejriwal’s deputy in Delhi, Manish Sisodia, also took a potshot.
“In 27 years, the BJP did not do anything for government hospitals. Today, at the time of the Prime Minister’s visit, the hospital is being painted in the atmosphere of grief. This is disgraceful,” Sisodia tweeted on Tuesday morning.
“The hospital was cleaned-up to hide the truth from the people of the country of the last 27 years of BJP rule,” he added.
The Gujarat Congress also criticised the move.
“On the one hand, when the colours of lives of many families have faded, the colouring and renovation work of Morbi civil hospital were undertaken overnight in view of the Prime Minister’s visit. Are you really coming to inquire about the patients?” the party had tweeted.
Pilloried by the Opposition, the state government said prayers will be held across the state in memory of the victims on November 2. In another statement, the government said that it had distributed Rs 4 lakh as compensation to the next of kin of each victim.