Satya Niketan Incident: Delhi Government Wakes from Slumber After Building Collapse
The Delhi High Court reprimanded the government, stating it cannot absolve itself of responsibility for the tragedy.
On Sunday, around 1:00 PM, a PG (paying guest) accommodation building in Delhi's Satya Niketan area collapsed. Built on a 55-square-yard plot, the structure became the site of a tragic and untimely death for the students residing there. According to government figures, seven students have died so far, and three are reported to be in critical condition. However, there is widespread discussion regarding the large number of students living in PG accommodations in this area. The government has yet to disclose exactly how many students were residing in the Satya Niketan PG. Surprisingly, more than 28 hours have passed, yet the government has not provided complete details regarding the total number of students present or the exact death toll. The NDRF Director confirmed seven deaths in a press release. The opposition is criticizing the Delhi government's tendency to engage in a cover-up following tragic incidents; just four months prior, a hotel fire in Delhi claimed the lives of 23 people—including many foreign nationals who had come for treatment at Max Hospital. Neither the Delhi government, the MCD, nor other departments learned from that tragedy, leading to the Satya Niketan incident. The government merely went through the motions, taking action against a few low-level employees before considering the matter closed. It is observed that while the government displays a flurry of activity immediately after an incident, the issue is subsequently relegated to the back burner.
Amit Shah Under Scrutiny Following CJP Campaign and Satya Niketan Incident
In July, the CJP had demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, citing corruption, mismanagement, and unethical practices within the Education Department; despite the government's image of strength and dominance, Pradhan eventually resigned. Subsequently, during the monsoon session, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and leaders of the INDIA bloc demanded that Modi and Shah come to the House and issue a statement regarding the brutal lathi-charge and use of pellet guns against protesting students. The opposition also demanded Amit Shah's resignation. Neither PM Modi nor Amit Shah appeared before the opposition in the House. This new incident has once again placed Amit Shah and CM Rekha Gupta in the opposition's crosshairs.
**Modi Government Rattled by the Satya Niketan Incident**
The Modi government has been severely singed by the fallout of this tragic incident. Home Minister Amit Shah was in Goa to inaugurate a new BJP building when he received news of the building collapse; he returned to Delhi without performing the inauguration. The opposition slammed the central government over this, criticizing the BJP for neglecting sectors like education and health in its policies. The Congress criticized the government, noting that not a single hostel has been built in the last 14 years. More than 330,000 students come from outside to study at Delhi University, yet there are only 7,500 hostel seats available for them. Consequently, students from outside are forced to stay in private PGs (paying guest accommodations). Operators of these private PGs enjoy the patronage of ruling party MLAs and local leaders, and they subject students to financial and mental exploitation.
**Hundreds of Illegal PGs Operating in Delhi with Political Patronage**
It is reported that the building in question was illegally operating as a PG. Most students come to Delhi University for their studies—an influx of 350,000 students from outside the city. Allegations have surfaced that all such PGs operating in the area are illegal and run under the patronage of the local BJP MLA's brother. Two students are often crammed into a single small rented room, with virtually no amenities provided. What makes this situation particularly interesting is that the BJP holds power in Delhi; the local MLA, the councilor, the Lieutenant Governor (LG), and the Prime Minister all belong to the BJP. Despite this, incidents of building fires and collapses continue to occur in Delhi. Ninety-eight people have lost their lives in the span of about a year.
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