New Delhi, Sept 7: Congress leaders on Sunday demanded accountability from the Delhi administration and called for mandatory building safety audits after a paying guest accommodation collapsed in Satya Niketan near Delhi University’s South Campus, trapping students under the rubble.
The tragedy came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), where he interacted with students and spoke about his association with the university, giving opposition leaders a sharp political contrast to highlight what they called systemic failures in student housing safety.
Singhvi Links Collapse To Safety Audits
Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the incident raised fundamental questions about whether adequate safety measures were being implemented for students living in rented accommodation and paying guest facilities across the capital.
“Just a day ago, PM Modi was at DU’s SRCC for a carefully staged spectacle, celebrating the university and speaking of its students. Today, at Satya Niketan in South Campus, DU students are trapped under the rubble of an unsafe PG building,” Singhvi said in a post on X.
“If the PM truly considers himself a DU student, perhaps he should ask why building safety audits failed the very students who need the Government’s protection most,” Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.
Singhvi called the collapse a serious failure of building safety and government oversight. He asked if authorities were regularly checking the many PGs and rented homes where students live in Delhi, as reported by The Statesman.
“When thousands of students live in PGs and rented accommodations across the capital, has the Government conducted timely structural safety audits? Were unsafe buildings identified and corrective action taken?” Singhvi asked.
‘Merely Giving Speeches… Will Not Be Enough’
Congress leader Devender Yadav said the tragedy showed that the government was not doing enough to protect students who come to Delhi from across India for education and jobs.
“The news of a PG building collapsing in Delhi University’s South Campus at Satya Niketan, with students reportedly trapped under the rubble, is deeply disturbing and also raises major questions about the government’s policies,” Yadav said in a post on X.
“Young people come to Delhi from across the country with dreams of a bright future, but is there no one responsible for their safety?” he asked.
Addressing the Prime Minister, Yadav said, “Prime Minister, merely giving speeches at Delhi University will not be enough. The lives and safety of our students in the national capital must be the first priority.”
Focus On Preventive Action, Not Just Rescue
Congress leaders said the incident showed the need for stronger rules and regular checks on PGs and rented buildings, especially in student areas like Satya Niketan.
They said safety should not depend only on rescue work after a disaster, but on preventive steps like timely inspections, action on unsafe buildings and enforcement of safety norms.
While rescue and relief remain the immediate priority, the party said questions over safety audits and government accountability will continue to dominate the political debate.
