Real culprits remain unaccountable...: Rahul Gandhi attacks BJP over Satya Niketan building collapse

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched a sharp attack on the BJP government over the collapse of a student accommodation building in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, alleging that authorities repeatedly fail to prevent accidents and do not hold those responsible accountable.

In a post on X, Gandhi alleged that the BJP government follows a “shameful pattern” of taking no preventive action before accidents and resorting to “grandstanding” after tragedies. He claimed that blame is subsequently placed on a few lower-level officials while the “real culprits” remain unaccountable.

Gandhi said the Satya Niketan collapse was “no isolated tragedy” and cited two other incidents in Delhi to underline what he described as recurring safety failures.

“In the last 4 months, 6 people died in a similar disaster in Saidulajab, and a fire in Hauz Rani claimed 22 lives,” he said.

Gandhi questions accountability

Gandhi alleged that repeated incidents were resulting in the loss of lives, dreams and aspirations without meaningful corrective action.

“Every time, lives, dreams, and aspirations get buried under rubble—and every time, any real action gets nowhere to be found,” he said.

He also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of attempting to shame and silence critics who demand accountability, referring to labels such as “brainwashed Naxal” and “grumpy uncle”.

According to Gandhi, the use of such labels was intended to “shame, defame, and silence” those who question the government.

“For 12 years, this government has spun you around with lofty talk about the whole world, but never addressed the real issues,” Gandhi said, questioning the BJP government's record on public safety and governance.

Satya Niketan collapse kills seven

The Satya Niketan building, located near Delhi University's South Campus, housed a boys' paying guest accommodation. It collapsed on Sunday while repair work was underway, killing seven people and injuring several others.

The Delhi High Court on Monday termed the incident “most unfortunate” and questioned the responsibility of the building owners as well as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi University.

The court also raised concerns over accommodation for students from outside Delhi, who often depend on privately operated paying guest facilities.

Gandhi, meanwhile, questioned the functioning of Delhi's “triple engine” government and asked what explained the administration's alleged helplessness in preventing such incidents.

“The helplessness stems from a lack of intent—because where there's no intent, there's no accountability either,” he said.