Rajkot gaming zone fire: Gujarat Congress demands FIR against senior officials, BJP office-bearers

Ahmedabad, May 27
The Gujarat Congress on Monday demanded that senior civic and state officials, and office-bearers of the ruling BJP be named in the FIR registered in connection with the Rajkot game zone fire that claimed 27 lives.Rajkot gaming zone fire: 6 officials suspended for lapses; Gujarat High Court says it doesn’t have faith in state machinery.Addressing a press conference, state Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil also asked the government to consider giving “generous” compensation to the kin of those killed saying the majority of the families belong to humble backgrounds.
“We also demand generous compensation for the kin of the deceased,” he said.
So far, the state and Centre have announced a cumulative compensation of Rs 6 lakh for the kin of each deceased.Gohil’s statement came soon after the state government ordered the suspension of six officials for “gross negligence in allowing the game zone to operate without necessary approvals”.The Congress leader said the action was only taken against some low-ranking officials.There is no meaning in suspending junior-level officers who do not have any powers, he said, demanding that senior civic and state officials and BJP office-bearers be named as accused in the FIR.The senior Congress leader said there was a time when the Union railway minister and civil aviation minister used to resign after major accidents.“In the past, several high-ranking officials, including the Rajkot mayor, collector and municipal commissioner, had visited this place and shared their photographs on social media too. In such a scenario, how can you expect that a junior officer could dare to take action against the game zone management?” asked Gohil.
Gohil also shared some photos posted on the Facebook page of the TRP Game Zone, where 27 persons, including four children under the age of 12, were killed in a massive fire on May 25. “In one of the photos taken in 2022, BJP’s office-bearers, including former mayor Pradip Dav, can be seen at the TRP Arena. In another photograph, former BJP MLA Arvind Raiyani and some other local leaders can be seen at the same place,” claimed Gohil. He wondered how the officials failed to notice that such a large recreation complex was being run illegally, particularly when the Gujarat High Court had repeatedly asked the government to ensure compliance with fire safety norms at such places.