Ahmedabad plane crash: Government must fix accountability for AI-171 accident, says Kharge
Visiting the Air India flight AI-171 crash site at Ahmedabad on Saturday (June 14, 2025), Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the government must fix accountability and not adopt a stance that 'accidents do happen'.
Also read: Air India Ahmedabad plane crash updates on June 14, 2025
'Nobody should take such incidents lightly and say such things keep happening, or that this is routine. I would also like to say that nobody should try to take credit by visiting the site or meeting the injured and then getting photos clicked,' Mr. Kharge said.
Though he did not name anyone, Mr. Kharge's remarks seemed to be a reference to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's comments after visiting the crash site on Thursday (June 12, 2025), when he said: 'I want to tell you one thing. It was an accident. No one can stop accidents.'
Compensation and accountability
At the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, Mr. Kharge met injured people, including the lone survivor of the plane crash, and others injured on the ground, including medical students. He later told reporters that the Centre must give compensation to the kin of the deceased and to the injured.
Editorial | Crash and burn: On the Air India Ahmedabad plane crash and Indian aviation
'The government must give compensation to kin of plane crash victims and fix accountability,' Mr. Kharge said, when reporters pointed out that neither the State nor Union governments have announced any compensation amount as yet.
Mr Kharge was accompanied by Gujarat Congress chief Shaktisinh Gohil and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary for Gujarat Mukul Wasnik.
'Time to be united in grief'
The Congress chief said he would not say anything about the need for an inquiry as it is currently a time of grief. 'The black box has been found. Let its findings come. After that, we will raise demands accordingly,'he said.
AICC general secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is on a two-day tour of Kerala, also said it was the time to be 'united in grief'.
'It is a moment where we need to stand together and just provide solidarity,' she said. 'It is being investigated. I am sure the investigating agencies will in the next few days enlighten the nation as to what happened. Then in the future, whatever corrective measures need to be taken, will be taken to protect people and lives,' she added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
Gujarat mourns: Vijay Rupani's hometown Rajkot prepares to bid its beloved neta a final farewell; son submits DNA sample
Vijay Rupani's hometown Rajkot prepares to bid its beloved neta a final farewell RAJKOT/GANDHINAGAR: The Gujarat government is likely to announce a day-long state mourning in memory of former chief minister, Vijay Rupani , who died in the Air India Ahmedabad-London Dreamliner crash on Thursday. Rupani's son, Rushabh, who arrived from the US early on Saturday, provided DNA samples to assist authorities in identifying his father's mortal remains. Earlier, Rupani's sister submitted samples, but those did not match. "We are awaiting confirmation from the DNA results," a BJP member close to the family said. In Rupani's hometown, Rajkot, preparations are underway for his last rites, with BJP and local authorities organising a grand funeral procession to allow citizens to bid a final farewell to their beloved neta. The procession will begin at his residence in Prakash Society. A prayer meeting is also being planned at Racecourse, although the final decision rests with the Rupani family. Rajkot police issued a notification restricting vehicle movement and parking on the funeral route, anticipating heavy turnout from across the city and nearby villages. "A huge number of BJP workers, traders, and citizens are expected to join the procession," police stated. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo BJP said the last rites are planned for Sunday, depending on the timely release of the mortal remains by Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Several markets in Rajkot remained closed on Saturday, as a mark of respect to the departed former CM. Around 600 self-financed schools across Rajkot district also shut down. Throughout Saturday, senior politicians and well-wishers gathered at the Rupani residence in Gandhinagar to express their condolences. BJP said members approached officials multiple times over the last two days, suggesting that Rupani's remains could be identified through a distinctive wristwatch he was known to wear. However, at least two attempts to identify a victim wearing such a watch proved unsuccessful, sources said.
Indian Express
27 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Congress holds ‘Kursi Yatra' to mock Kejriwal for ‘seeking to enter Rajya Sabha
Amid the election battle for Ludhiana West assembly constituency, Youth Congress organized a 'Kursi Yatra' targeting Kejriwal for 'seeking to enter Rajya Sabha.' In the Kursi Yatra taken out with band instruments, a dummy Kejriwal was made to sit on a big chair placed on a chariot. Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu's supporters carried Congress flags around the chair and sent a message to the people that this fight is not to make AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora an MLA from the West assembly seat, but rather, this fight is being fought by the AAP leadership to snatch the Rajya Sabha seat from a Punjabi man and fulfil the lust for power of Kejriwal. National president of Mahila Congress Alka Lamba, co-incharge of Punjab Congress and MLA Rana Gurjit Singh participated in Kursi Yatra. Lamba took a dig at Kejriwal and said that after losing the CM's chair in Delhi, Kejriwal, who has become accustomed to living a royal life, is now struggling for power. After the doors of power were closed in Delhi, Kejriwal appointed all his generals trapped in the swamp of corruption, Sisodia, Satyendra Jain, Vibhav Kumar, to government posts in Punjab. 'Now Kejriwal wants to snatch the Rajya Sabha seat from Punjabi Sanjeev Arora and get power and a life of luxury. Today, the Congress has organized a Kursi Yatra to expose the conspiracy to send a candidate to the Rajya Sabha through a fraudulent route and made the people of the Western Vidhan Sabha aware. He is enjoying Z plus security of 2 states,' she alleged. Meanwhile, Ashu ridiculed Kejriwal's developmental promises to the people of Ludhiana West. He reiterated his charge against AAP and its leader Kejriwal that they were fighting the Ludhiana West by-election for not getting an MLA elected, but to 'reemploy their jobless leader in Rajya Sabha'. Ashu said it was for the first time in the last 13 years that Kejriwal had become jobless after losing from the New Delhi assembly segment. Now he has chosen a job for himself that of the RS member, for which he wants to sacrifice another RS member from Punjab, Ashu said.
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
Sindhu water will flow till Ganganagar in 3 years, Pakistan will yearn for every drop: Union home minister Amit Shah
BHOPAL: Union home minister Amit Shah said within three years, the water of Indus will be taken to Sri Ganganagar through canals and irrigation facilities will start in a large area. Pakistan will crave for every drop of water," Shah said. Shah was addressing the three-day training session organized by the state BJP for ministers, MPs and MLAs in Pachmarhi on Saturday afternoon. In reference to the controversy over Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah's remarks postoperative Sindoor against Col Sofiya Qureshi cautioned the BJP functionaries, MPs and MLAs by saying, "think before you speak and advised them to avoid making controversial statements." Shah said that if a mistake has been committed by someone, such an error should not be repeated. Minister for tribal welfare Vijay Shah was present in the training camp during Shah's inaugural speech. "In Pahalgam, they attacked by asking about religion, now they will crave for food grains to eat. They will have to ask for food grains from foreign countries," he added. Shah recounted that when the country became independent, Congress was in power, and Pt. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Nehru completely dominated the Congress party. "The policies made by the Nehru govt at that time did not have the fragrance of the country's soil. There was no proclamation of our ancient culture in them. They were inspired by Western values. There were many leaders at that time who did not agree with these policies. One of them was Dr. Shyamaprasad Mukherjee, who was the Union minister for industry in the Nehru Cabinet," Shah said. "When Pt. Nehru imposed Article 370 in Kashmir because of the Nehru-Liaqat Pact, Dr Shyamaprasad Mukherjee resigned from the cabinet. Speaking on Article 370, Amit Shah recalled that Dr. Shyamaprasad Mukherjee had proclaimed that 'do vidhan, do nishan, do pradhan' cannot work in one nation. "He marched to remove Article 370 and was murdered. While agitating against Article 370, Dr. Mukherjee protected every inch of the country's land. Ban on cow slaughter, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi program is a symbol of cultural nationalism," he said. Shah said that Madhya Pradesh BJP has a glorious tradition. "Late Kushabhau Thakre had dedicated every moment of his life to the party and the organization received the blessings of great leaders like late Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia and late Sundarlal Patwa ji," he said. "We are all party workers and the party has promoted us based on our ability and capacity, made us MPs and MLAs," he reasoned. The session began with condolences and homages were paid to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash. Shah, spoke to the congregation of 201 participants on the party's journey "From Jan Sangh to BJP - 1951 to 2025". He said that only those who remain students till the last moment, who have the zeal to learn, can bring about change. "Today, we can see the acceptance of BJP from panchayats to Parliament. BJP govt is necessary for a well-organized, educated, developed country," Amit Shah said. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
