Building collapse: BJP complains to EC against Kolkata Mayor for MCC violation by announcing compensation

Kolkata, March 19 (IANS) The BJP filed a complaint with the Election Commission on Tuesday against Kolkata Mayor, Firhad Hakim, accusing him of violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by announcing compensation for those affected by a building collapse in Garden Reach area.

Nine people were killed and 12 were injured after an under-construction five-storey building collapsed on the outskirts of southern Kolkata on Monday.

While making a visit to the accident spot, Mayor Hakim, who is also the Municipal Affairs & Urban Development Minister, announced that the West Bengal government would provide a compensation of Rs 500,000 to the kin of the deceased and Rs 100,000 to those injured in the collapse.

On Tuesday, BJP leader Sisir Bajoria forwarded a complaint to the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, as well as to the Chief Electoral Office, West Bengal accusing the mayor of MCC violation by making the compensation announcement.

Till the time of filing of the report, there was no reaction from the Mayor on this count.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader from the Garden Reach area, Rakesh Kumar Singh has claimed that he had alerted different state and central agencies of illegal constructions in the area two years ago.

“I sent letters in 2022 to the Chief Justice of India, Calcutta High Court Chief Justice, Governor, Chief Minister, West Bengal Municipal Affairs & Urban Development Minister, the Kolkata Police Commissioner and finally to the Enforcement Directorate about this menace of illegal construction. But my letters yielded no result. What happened at Garden Reach on Monday is just the tip of the iceberg.

“Even a minor earthquake in Kolkata can result in the collapse of several such buildings in the Garden Reach area,” Singh said.