New Delhi: Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has called the Goa nightclub fire tragedy ‘a criminal failure of safety and governance”.
“Deeply pained by the tragic fire in Arpora, Goa that claimed more than 20 lives. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured. This is not just an accident, it is a criminal failure of safety and governance. A thorough, transparent probe must fix accountability and ensure such preventable tragedies don’t occur again,” he wrote on X.
Reactions are pouring in from across party lines, including from Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his condolences earlier in the day, while the PMO announced ex-gratia for the victims’ families. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has ordered a magisterial inquiry and told ANI that the managers of the club and others have already been arrested in the case, and an arrest warrant has been issued against the owners of the club.
At least 25 people lost their lives in the blaze that made its way through the North Goa nightclub, called Birch by Romeo Lane, late Saturday, with four of them identified as tourists and fourteen others as staff members.
Amit Shah called the incident “deeply painful” as he condoled the deaths.
“The tragic loss of lives in a fire accident in Arpora, Goa, is deeply painful. The local administration is carrying out rescue and relief operations and providing the necessary care to the affected. My sincerest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured,” the Union home minister said.
In a post on X, Kharge wrote, “My deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of the 23 people who lost their lives in the tragic fire at Arpora, Goa. This avoidable tragic incident is an irreparable loss, and I pray for the speedy recovery of all those who have been injured.”
The Congress chief called for a “comprehensive investigation, strict accountability, and immediate steps to ensure that all fire safety norms are enforced so that such devastating incidents are never repeated”.
He also appealed to Congress workers in the region to extend every possible support and assistance to the affected families and “stand with them in this hour of grief”.
Kejriwal too extended his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the blaze. “Deeply saddened by the tragic fire incident at Arpora, Goa, that has claimed several precious lives. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. May all those affected find strength and solace during this devastating time,” he wrote on X.
President Droupadi Murmu also condoled the loss of lives. “Deeply pained by the tragic fire incident in North Goa district resulting in the loss of precious lives. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May they find strength during this difficult time. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” she said.
BJP MLA Michael Lobo meanwhile called for a safety audit of all clubs in Goa.
“I am disturbed because of the incident. There are 23 casualties, three women and 20 men. Some are tourists, while most are locals who were working in the restaurant’s basement. We will need to conduct a safety audit of all other clubs in Goa, which is very important,” ANI quoted him as saying.
He added: “Tourists have always considered Goa a very safe destination, but the fire incident is very disturbing, and such incidents should not happen in the future. The safety of tourists and the workers in these establishments is extremely important. Most people died due to suffocation as they ran towards the basement.”
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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