On the ground, Morbi bridge tragedy has little political ramification for BJP

Political affiliations have largely framed the views of the townspeople over the tragedy that killed 141 people

Picture placards of some of the Morbi tragedy victims seen placed at the western banks of Machchhu river near Morbi Bridge collapse site as a memorial tribute in Morbi, Gujarat on November 10, 2022. | Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji

Melted wax from the candles lit in remembrance of the victims on the steps leading to the Machchhu river, a few photographs of the deceased carelessly left behind on a pile of waste by the last batch of mourners, and a half of the thin wreckage of the bridge barely visible from a distance are just about the only signs of the October 30 tragedy that killed 141 people here.

The 19th century British-era suspension bridge was the only recreational site in Morbi town, the ceramic hub of Gujarat, and after the incident it has become a site of another form of morbid tourism. Curious visitors come here to see and imagine how the ghastly tragedy might have unfolded on that Sunday evening, when the “rusted” suspension wires of the bridge snapped under the weight of nearly 500 visitors, sending them into the river.

At the site is 23-year-old Ajit Parmar, clicking pictures and tallying them with the scenes he saw on television. Who does he blame for the tragedy? “Of course, the government. It is sheer carelessness to open the doors to the bridge without first testing its fitness,” he said. Mr. Parmar and his family have been staunch Congress supporters, but in this election season, they are mulling over switching sides to the Aam Aadmi Party.

On the sidelines of this conversation, Gujarat Police constable M.P. Parmar is standing quietly. He smiles at hearing the younger Parmar’s arguments. After others leave, the constable, raising his eyes to the sky, says, “This was a natural tragedy and their deaths were fated.” Whether the administration was responsible or not, he is clear that the tragedy has no connection to politics.

A few kilometres away, Balwant Bhai Prajapati (47) doesn’t miss a beat before blaming the “public” for the tragedy. “Why did they go when it was already so crowded?” he asks. According to Mr. Prajapati, the BJP government at the State has only limited culpability for the tragedy. He is upfront about his support for the BJP and specifically for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sapna Sanghani, a 28-year-old school teacher, has similar views. “The government can’t be everywhere and responsible for everything. I find the victims equally responsible here. TV was showing many standing idly on the bank while their family members were struggling for their lives in the river,” Ms. Sanghani, an avowed BJP supporter, says.

The views on the tragedy is informed by the political affiliations of the respondents. Despite its scale, it has not created the political storm that the opposition parties were hoping for. Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, at a recent press conference in Ahmedabad, expressed his dismay that none of the Ministers didn’t resign or even apologise over the incident that he called a “shame” for Gujarat.

Tribute banners near the bridge collapse site in Morbi, Gujarat on November 10, 2022. | Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji

So far, the tragedy has only seen turbulence within the BJP with the incumbent MLA and sitting Minister Brijesh Merja losing the seat to his former opponent Kantilal Amrutiya. Mr. Merja, a former Congress leader, had won the seat in 2017 against Mr. Amrutiya who had held the seat five consecutive times. But midway through the tenure he resigned and joined the BJP. He contested the byelection in 2020 and was made a Minister.

The Morbi tragedy acted as a catalyst against him, with videos of Mr. Amrutiya wading into muddy waters of the Machchhu to rescue the victims going viral. The party chose Mr. Amrutiya instead of turncoat Mr. Merja.