New Delhi, March 18 The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) strongly criticized the BJP-led Delhi government over the Wednesday fire in Palam that killed nine people, with former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal expressing his concern at the "increasing number" of such incidents.
Kejriwal described the incident as extremely tragic and said the government should take concrete steps.
"The incident in Delhi's Palam is extremely tragic, and I extend deep condolences to the affected families. I pray for peace for the departed souls. The recurring fire incidents in the national capital are a matter of concern," Kejriwal said in a post on X in Hindi.
He said narrow lanes, closely packed multi-story buildings, and inadequate safety arrangements increase the risk of such incidents.
In response, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said that instead of blaming the BJP government, which has been in power for just one year.
"It would be better if AAP leaders explained what their government did between 2015 and 2024 to develop fire safety infrastructure in Delhi," Sachdeva said.
He alleged that under the AAP government, no work was done in Delhi regarding the Fire Services Department.
Even the expert recommendation to open 85 fire stations in Delhi was not implemented, and in 2023–24 alone, 1,303 deaths occurred due to fire incidents in Delhi, Sachdeva added.