BJP spokesperson blames victims for bridge collapse

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, March 16

The BJP today disowned its Maharashtra “chief spokesperson” Sanju Verma after she blamed the victims for crowding atop a foot-overbridge that collapsed on Thursday night, leaving five persons dead.

“I know you will not agree with this, but the fact remains in both the cases a large part of the blame, for want of a better word, was on pedestrians who did not pay heed to the fact that there was a work in progress,” Verma said during a TV programme on Friday night.

Verma’s comment caused an uproar in social media and the BJP was trolled. The opposition parties in Maharashtra also criticised Verma’s comment since the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, which owns the bridge, has been ruled by the BJP and the Shiv Sena for the last 25 years.

On Saturday, the BJP put out a statement that Verma was not a spokesperson for the party and television channels should not describe her as such. “The BJP has full sympathy for the victims of the calamity,” a party statement said. 

I know you will not agree with this, but the fact is that in both cases, a large part of the blame was on pedestrians who did not pay heed that there was work in progress.—  Sanju Verma, Maha Chief Spokesperson