Judicial commission under SC should look into Guj bridge collapse: Mamata

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee demanded an inquiry by a judicial commission under the supervision of the Supreme Court into the collapse of the Morbi bridge in Gujarat in which over 130 people lost their lives. She also demanded exemplary punishment of the persons involved in the repairing and maintenance of the British-era bridge.

Banerjee, on Wednesday, left for Chennai to attend a family function of Governor La Ganesan.

"We demand the setting up of a judicial commission under the supervision of the Supreme Court into the collapse of the suspension bridge at Morbi in Gujarat. Exemplary punishment should be given to the people entrusted with the repair and maintenance of the bridge," she said adding, "The bridge was opened hurriedly because of the Assembly election in Gujarat."

Questioning the silence of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the CBI, She remarked: "Why the ED and CBI sitting quietly now."

Reiterating that this was not the time to do politics over such a disaster, Banerjee said: "Politics should not be brought into the matter, and I do not want to say anything about the Prime Minister, it is his state. This is not the time to do politics. We are praying for the recovery of those who are receiving treatment in different hospitals"

She added: "I was shocked to hear about the tragic bridge collapse in Morbi, which cost several innocent lives and left many injured."

Banerjee expressed her condolences to those unfortunate people who died due to the collapse of the century-old bridge and wished a speedy recovery of those injured.