Mumbai, April 24: The Shiv Sena-UBT on Monday submitted a memorandum to Governor Ramesh Bais stating that the loss of 14 human lives after the ‘Maharashtra Bhushan Award’ 2022 ceremony in Navi Mumbai was a “man-made tragedy”.
A delegation, led by Leader of Opposition in the Council, Ambadas Danve and other senior leaders met the Governor and demanded that a high-level probe should be instituted into the April 16 tragedy, and those found guilty should be booked for culpable homicide.
The leaders including MPs, legislators and party officials like Arvind Sawant, Anil Parab, Ravindra Waikar, Dr Manisha Kayande, and Sachin Ahir, said that the “insensitive” government erred in not taking into account the high temperatures in Khargar (the venue grounds) in Navi Mumbai, while holding the mega-event in the open.
“It was a state function and they should have made arrangements for a marquee, fans, sufficient drinking water and other amenities for the people. It is shocking that the government and organisers did not take these factors into account and it resulted into such a huge tragedy,” the memorandum said.
They pointed out that the avoidable man-made disaster has served to spoil the image of Maharashtra and now measures must be taken to ensure that such can be avoided in the future.
Earlier, the Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and Sena (UBT) had slammed the Shiv Sena government of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Bharatiya Janata Party’s Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis for the disaster and demanded its resignation or dismissal.
Bowing to intense pressures, the Shinde last week announced a probe by a one-man commission, and also banned all such open-air public events between 12-5 p.m. during the summer months.
The prestigious honour was conferred on social reformer Dattatreya Narayan Dharmadhikari alias Appasaheb by Union Home Minister Amit Shah before an estimated crowd of around 20-lakh who sweated it out in the open in 40 degrees plus Celsius temperatures.
