The death of three UPSC aspirants in overnight flooding in the basement of IAS Coaching Center, Rau’s IAS Study Circle, has sparked massive uproar both on social media and in Delhi. On Saturday, three UPSC aspirants died after an IAS Coaching Center's basement in Delhi's Old Rajender Nagar was flooded heavily. Fire brigade officials received a call about students being stuck in the basement at 7:19 pm on Saturday and five fire engines were dispatched to carry out rescue operations. Many students were rescued while the body of three students were recovered from the sight. This filled students with anger sparking a major protest in the National Capital. Students demanded justice from the concerned authorities and the government. A majority of the students wanted MCD officials including Commissioner to visit them and listen to their grievances.
The controversy related to Rau's Study Circle also sparked a debate in the Parliament on Monday. While the BJP-led Center is accusing the Aam Aadmi Party's Delhi Government since MCD came into their jurisdiction, the opposition is accusing the Center & the LG as they took the rights of Delhi Government of transfer & postings. Below is what the BJP and the Opposition said-
Blame games around the Old Rajinder Nagar Tragedy
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Rajya Sabha said, "..There was negligence. Only when accountability is fixed, there will be a solution...It is our responsibility to ensure that such an incident is not repeated...."
AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak said, "Who will take action over no work done on the drainage system in Delhi in last 15-20 years? BJP should have shame. We demand that action should be taken against all officers including the senior officers who are found responsible. The responsibility also falls on the Municipal Commissioner. Bansuri Swaraj should also say that it was a BJP MP from the area for the last 11 years. She will have to answer why drainage was not made?"
Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav in Lok Sabha said, "It's a painful incident. It's the responsibility of the officers to plan and provide NOCs, the question is who all are responsible and what actions are being taken against them. It's not just a single case of illegal building, we are seeing it in UP that illegal buildings are being bulldozed, will this govt will run a bulldozer here or not?"
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, "It's a shocking situation and I have to say that when you have a brilliant student all the dreams of serving the nation through the UPSC exam have been shattered and the hopes of the family have been shattered. This is a matter which obviously calls for compensation but no compensation can be enough for the tragic loss of life of a young man cut short in his prime.
There are a number of serious issues that need to be addressed - there is sadly a level of violations of basic norms when it comes to building codes, fire safety, flood safety and so on, that is rampant in the city. The corporation also has responsibility. I have seen in the hands of a journalist a certificate of clearance issued on 9 July. The corporation allows these people to do what they're doing, saying they're in compliance..."
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj in Lok Sabha said, "...Those students were in Delhi for the preparation of IAS examinations, but sadly I have to say that due to criminal negligence of Delhi govt, those students have lost their lives. The cause of death of these three students is the utter and absolute apathy of the Aam Aadmi Party ruling dispensation in Delhi... For a decade, AAP has been enjoying power in Delhi, but not doing work for the people of Delhi.
MCD has been under AAP for the last 2 years and Delhi Jal Board is also under them. The residents of Old Rajinder Nagar were continuously complaining to the local MLA, Councillor and officers - the MLA kept doing satire but didn't take any action. I request the Home Ministry to form a committee to investigate the matter..."
Who is actually responsible for Rai Study Circle's students' deaths?
Kishor Singh Kushwah, a civil service aspirant, while talking to a newswire said that he had written to the Centre, the state government, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi about how Rau's IAS Study Circle was using the basement as a library and endangering the lives of students and staff. The MCD, it has emerged, had only allowed use of the basement for storage and parking.
"A complaint was filed against Rau Coaching Institute a month ago regarding the illegal operation of a library, but no action was taken, If action had been taken earlier, this incident would not have occurred..All basement libraries in Rajinder Nagar are illegal. They have no FIR safety clearance. And the staircases are 3 feet - 4 feet wide, if there is an emergency, so many students cannot rush out easily," said Kishor.
As per reports, the complainant sent two reminders, urging authorities to take action. On July 15, he wrote: "Sir, it's very important and urgent issue, take strict action on it." In another reminder dated July 22, Kushwah wrote: "Sir, please take action, it's (an) issue of student safety."
Kishore further said, "If they had taken strict action, this would not have happened. Officials of the administration take bribes and give clearance to such coaching centres and they never check if the rules are being followed. MCD is 100 percent responsible."
What did MCD say about Delhi's coaching tragedy?
Addressing the media after hours of students' protest, MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar said, "This is a very sad incident...We will demolish all the encroachments there in that area and will recover the drainage system there...The other action taken in this incident is, that all the basements which are illegal or coaching centres are running there, we are taking action against them...The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has terminated a Junior Engineer and suspended an Assistant Engineer and seeks an explanation from the concerned Executive Engineer..."
After the tragedy, MCD has sealed 13 coaching centres in Old Rajinder Nagar area as part of a crackdown on illegal and dangerous use of basements. These include IAS Gurukul, Chahal Academy, Plutus Academy, Sai Trading, IAS Setu, Topper's Academy, Dainik Samvad, Civils Daily IAS, Career Power, 99 Notes, Vidya Guru, Guidance IAS, and Easy for IAS.
It is pertinent to mention here that IAS officer Ashwani Kumar was appointed MCD commissioner in June this year by the Centre. MCD is headed by the Mayor of Delhi, who presides over elected councillors from 250 wards.
Amid the blame games it can be said that the centre, state as well as the MCD should be questioned over the incident.