Morbi bridge collapse: AAP says 'not accident but murder by BJP's corrupt rule'

Posing five questions to the BJP over the incident, Manish Sisodia asked why the bridge's repair and maintenance work was awarded to a watchmaker company without floating any tender to select the most suitable firm for the job.

The Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat was not an accident, but murder of over 130 innocent people by the BJP's "corrupt" rule in the state, the AAP charged on Tuesday, and posed five questions to the saffron party, saying people will vote on them in the upcoming assembly elections.

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia addresses a press conference over Morbi cable bridge collapse incident, at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) headquarters, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)

As many as 134 people were killed after the suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Gujarat's Morbi city collapsed Sunday evening.

“This is not an accident. This is the killing of people by the BJP's corruption,” AAP leader Manish Sisodia told a press conference at the AAP headquarters here.

Posing five questions to the BJP over the incident, the senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader asked why the bridge's repair and maintenance work was awarded to a watchmaker company without floating any tender to select the most suitable firm for the job.

“For such a big, important and sensitive work, the contract was given to a company which makes watches, and that too without any tender. The BJP should answer why the work contract was awarded to the company in such a manner which did not have any experience in carrying out such work,” Sisodia rued.

What was the hurry that the bridge was opened for the public in five months while the work was to be completed in eight months, he asked the BJP.

“The FIR has been registered against smaller employees of the company, its security guards, and not against the company and its owners,” Sisodia said.

“The BJP must reveal that under whose pressure, the FIR was not registered against the company and its owners in connection with the bridge collapse which claimed lives of innocent people, including children," he said.

The Delhi education minister also asked the BJP to reveal how much donation it received from the watchmaker company after getting it awarded the work contract.

“The BJP must answer all these questions because people of Gujarat will vote in the (upcoming) assembly elections in the state on these questions,” he added.