Dimapur, July 12 (MExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) and Nagaland Congress (NLC) today demanded the resignation of Roads & Bridges Minister Vikheho Swu over the collapse of the bridge near CIHSR (Referral Hospital) in Dimapur. Four people were killed in the incident which happened on July 11.
“Accepting full moral responsibility without budging from his ministerial position is just an eyewash and lip service that is insulting especially to the memory of those killed in this tragic bridge collapse,” the NPCC stated in a press statement. “If the R&B Minister understands the real meaning of full moral responsibility, he should immediately resign from his post rather than give feeble explanations to absolve himself or the department since warning signs of imminent dangers of using the bridge was being highlighted since 2013.”
A separate statement from NLC asserted if the R&B Minister “is sincere and man of his word he should resign immediately for what he owns- moral responsibility.” It maintained that the Cabinet decision to pay ex gratia to deceased family and conduct enquiry into what is rather “too late, too little” is “pathetically a cosmetic make up just to appease the widespread public protest and condemnation.”
The incident, it stated, is the worst in recent time besides many other reported and unreported cases of road accidents over past few months, “but ruling elite are so obsessed on holding position, power and money making at any cost, they remain deaf, dumb and blind to the hue and cry of public over worst ever road condition in the State.”
Further, Nagaland Congress claimed that every ruling elected member, whether capable or not, wrestle for Roads & Bridges portfolio “despite the fact that practically there is no road, no difference between road and drainage/streams in the State and no action plan to improve road condition either.” And when tragedy strikes, it stated, “all done is enquiry, apology and politely owning responsibility.”
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