Mumbai: Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam is facing heat from opposition parties over his remarks on rain-related deaths in the city, after a video went viral showing him smiling while referring to the tragedies, PTI reported.
In the clip, Satam, who is also the party’s MLA from Mumbai, is seen standing on the steps of Vidhan Bhavan with NCP (SP) MLA Jayant Patil and saying, “Yesterday, it was because of a tree, today it is a manhole.” Earlier this week, an 11-year-old boy died after a tree fell on a school bus, while a 60-year-old man lost his life after falling into an uncovered manhole in the city.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut posted a screenshot of Satam’s viral video. “Merchants of death. The cruel face of Mumbai BJP,” he said in a message on X.
“If you can’t help people, at least don’t laugh so brazenly. Show some humanity,” said Mumbai Congress president and MP Varsha Gaikwad.
Joining the criticism, former MP Priyanka Chaturvedi of Shiv Sena (UBT) described the two deaths as “murders” caused by negligence by those in power.
“However, forget accountability, here we have Mumbai President of BJP casually joking about it and laughing loudly. Tells you all about the triple engine governance,” Chaturvedi posted on X.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should demand resignations from “those behaving so shamelessly.” “Your party MLA and office-bearer is seen laughing over people’s deaths, and not a single step is taken against him,” he added.
Satam, however, said his comments were being read wrongly.
“I was telling Jayant Patil that while speaking in the assembly a day earlier, I had spoken about the tree falling, and the next day, I spoke about the manhole incident,” Satam said.
