Morbi bridge collapse has brought shame to the fair name of Gujarat: Chidambaram

Chidambaram, who was in Gujarat to campaign for his party, also claimed that Gujarat was being 'run from Delhi' and not by the state CM

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Tuesday said that the Morbi bridge collapse has "shamed" Gujarat and it was most shocking that no one apologised or resigned in the aftermath of the man-made tragedy.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, Rajiv Bhawan, in Ahmedabad, the former finance minister said, "The collapse of the bridge has brought same to the fair name of Gujarat...The most shocking development is that no one, on behalf of the government, has apologised for the tragedy....No apologies and no resignations after such a horrific tragedy have brought greater shame to the people of Gujarat."

Chidambaram mentioned that since the Gujarat High Court has issued notice to the government, some questions can be answered. On Monday, the High Court took suo motu cognisance of the incident in which 135 people were killed in Morbi in the pedestrian suspension bridge collapse. The court, while observing two-minute silence for the victims, issued notice and sought a status report in a week. The veteran Congress leader added that not apologising was one of the indications of "BJP's arrogance."

Also Read | Bridge collapse may change poll equation in BJP stronghold Morbi: Analysts

Taking a dig at the BJP for changing three chief ministers in the past six years, Chidambaram said, "The reason for the revolving door of chief ministers is quite simple: Gujarat is not being governed from Ahmedabad, it is being governed by the duo of Narendra Modi-Amit Shah. Gujarat is a vassal state of Delhi." He added that if elections were to be held in 2023, even current chief minister Bhupendra Patel will be removed.

The former minister also alleged that central agencies-Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) were highly misused by the government and have become "handmaidens of the BJP." He said that 95 per cent cases and arrests these agencies made are against opposition leaders, right from West Bengal to Maharashtra.

When asked about the BJP's promises of implementing Uniform Civil Code, Chidambaram, who is also a practicing lawyer, said, "Even a first year law student would know that states can't implement it. It can be done only by parliament."

Countdown clock at Congress headquarters

Chidambaram also unveiled a countdown clock installed at the party headquarters at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Party's election incharge Raghu Sharma told reporters that the clock shows the "remaining days of the BJP government in Gujarat." The clock has days, hours, minutes and seconds. "The time for change and last moments of BJP in power" are also scribbled on it.