MP CM Says Won't Spare Anyone Found Guilty in Harda Blast Probe; Cong Stages Walkout from Assembly

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday said in the assembly that his government will not spare anyone found responsible for the Harda firecrackers factory blast, but the opposition Congress members expressed dissatisfaction over the reply and walked out of the House.

An inquiry is being conducted by the government and whosoever is found responsible for the incident will be punished, the CM said in the House.

The Congress has demanded a judicial inquiry into Tuesday’s incident of the blast at the firecrackers unit in Harda, which claimed 11 lives and left more than 200 people injured, and an FIR against those responsible for the tragedy.

Three persons, including two owners of the factory, have so far been arrested in connection with the incident, as per officials.

The MP government has constituted a three-member committee headed by Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Dubey to conduct a detailed probe into the incident.

Soon after the question hour, Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar mentioned about an adjournment motion moved by Congress leaders, including Ram Niwas Rawat and others, on the issue of the Harda factory explosion incident.

State legislative affairs minister Kailash Vijayvargiya then said the government is ready for a discussion on the issue immediately.

Starting the discussion, Rawat said that in 2015 also an explosion took place in the same factory, but no action was taken against the unit owners.

“Though the government is mentioning about 11 deaths (in Tuesday’s incident), the fact is that a large number of people were working in the unit at that time including children, against the rules,” he claimed.

The factory was operating at an agricultural land, Rawat said and asked how the officials permitted it.

He said that mere transfer of the Harda collector and the superintendent of police is not a punishment and they should be suspended and an FIR should be registered against those responsible for the incident.

“Why no action was taken against the then (divisional) commissioner, who had permitted to re-open the factory by staying for a month an order of the collector on the ground of Diwali festival?” deputy leader of opposition Hemant Katare asked.

He also demanded action against the then commissioner in the matter.

Harda Congress MLA Ramkishore Dogne, while participating in the discussion, claimed “600-700 workers were working in the factory at the time of the incident, and nearly 200 are undergoing treatment for the injuries.” What happened to the others? he asked.

“There was a basement in the factory and due to the excessive heat even the iron bars used in the construction melted and turned into rubble. The workers were buried under it,” he claimed.

Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar said a similar incident took place at Petlavad in Jhabua district and an inquiry was conducted for two years in the matter. But it resulted in the acquittal of all the officials responsible for the incident, he claimed.

“Is it the government for the people or the officials?” he asked.

The LoP demanded “judicial or an open court inquiry” into the incident and Rs 1 crore compensation to those who were rendered permanently disabled and those who suffered serious injuries.

He said the firecrackers unit was situated in an urban and residential area and asked if the officials were not aware of it.

Replying to the opposition’s claims, CM Mohan Yadav said soon after getting information during the cabinet meeting about the explosion, he immediately directed minister Rao Uday Pratap Singh and senior officials to rush to Harda and take stock of the situation.

The chief minister also informed the House about the measures undertaken by his government, including alerting burn units in several hospitals, rushing more than 100 fire brigades to the blast site, and pressing a large number of ambulances into service to deal with the situation.

“An inquiry is being conducted by the government and whosoever is found responsible, whoever he may be, all of them will be punished after the probe,” he said.

LoP Singhar then intervened and asked whether the government is ordering a judicial or an open court inquiry into the matter and announcing compensation, as demanded by the opposition members for the victims.

When the chief minister did not respond, Rawat and Singhar expressed dissatisfaction and staged a walkout from the House.

The speaker then adjourned the House for an hour.