Building collapse: AAP seeks probe, says case should be lodged against NDMC mayor, officials

The AAP on Thursday sought a probe into the collapse of a three-story building in north Delhi and asserted that a case should be filed against NDMC mayor and all officials concerned for allowing its construction. Reacting strongly to the incident, AAP leader Durgesh Pathak claimed that the building was built with the permission of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and sought an immediate probe into its collapse.

The AAP on Thursday sought a probe into the collapse of a three-story building in north Delhi and asserted that a case should be filed against NDMC mayor and all officials concerned for allowing its construction. Hitting back, the BJP accused the Aam Aadmi Party of playing "dirty politics" and leveling baseless allegations to tarnish the image of saffron party's leadership in view of the civic body elections in 2022. No immediate reaction was available from the NDMC mayor on the matter.

The third floor of a building in north Delhi collapsed on Wednesday, killing a 49-year-old Assistant Sub-Inspector of Delhi Police and injuring his colleague, officials had said. Reacting strongly to the incident, AAP leader Durgesh Pathak claimed that the building was built with the permission of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and sought an immediate probe into its collapse. He also said an inquiry should be conducted against NDMC Mayor Jai Prakash and all officials concerned for allegedly allowing the construction of the building. "This is a criminal act. This is a plot set up intentionally, and this is the work of a corrupt BJP-led MCD. The AAP demands that a proper and objective investigation should be conducted in the matter. "All the officials along with Jai Prakash Ji (mayor) who were involved in this matter should be charged for criminal activity, a case should be filed against them and they should be immediately sent to jail," he told reporters. He said, "Tomorrow, no agency will take ownership if another building collapses. How can it be possible that only two out of the eight lakh buildings are defective, as stated by North MCD mayor?" he added. Pathak claimed that as per an annual survey conducted by the North MCD on July 15, only two out of the eight lakh buildings surveyed were found to be defective and on the verge of collapse.

"However, one more building in the same area has collapsed early in the morning in the Batwana Chowk area. Two buildings have collapsed in his area since yesterday, and his agency report had said that only two out of the eight lakh buildings were defective. The survey that was conducted is incorrect. Corruption has been done in carrying out the survey," Pathak claimed. Praveen Shankar Kapoor, spokesperson of Delhi BJP, said AAP leader is leveling "baseless allegations" ahead of the civic body polls due in 2022.

"AAP is playing dirty politics. The allegations being levelled by AAP leader Durgesh Pathak are similar to the blame game done by Arvind Kejriwal between 2011-13 against the then Congress leadership of Delhi," he said. "AAP played similar dirty politics against many BJP leaders, including Nitin Gadkari, Arun Jaitley and Ramesh Bidhuri but later apologised. Similar fate awaits Durgesh Pathak who will sooner or later apologise to our municipal leaders," Kapoor added.