Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP government in Gujarat, saying that this week's bridge collapse, which killed 135 people, showed the "extent of corruption" in the state and people will vote out the party in next month's elections.
"The Morbi incident highlights the extent of corruption. How can a watch company get the contract of repairing and maintaining a bridge? Secondly, how can a contract be given without tender? I see reports that it was given due to a call from Gandhinagar... who called from Gandhinagar?" he said at an NDTV townhall.
"We see ticket collectors and junior people being arrested, but nothing against the top people. Like in Uphaar tragedy, the top people were sent to jail, but here, none of that is happening... in fact the top people are being shielded," Mr Kejriwal said.
At least 135 people were killed when an over-a-century-old suspension bridge, which reopened recently after extensive renovation, collapsed on Sunday evening on the Machchhu river. A five-day-long search operation was finally called off on Thursday.
The Gujarat government has suspended Morbi Municipality's Chief Officer Sandipsinh Zala over the incident, and the police have so far arrested nine people in the case. The nine arrested include officials of Oreva, the company that renovated the bridge, ticket sellers and security men.
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