Pranab wants probe into Stephen Court blaze
By IANSSunday, March 28, 2010
KOLKATA - Union Finance Minister and senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee Sunday demanded a probe into the Stephen Court fire tragedy, saying it was necessary to find if the inferno occurred due to “some negligence”.
Describing Tuesday’s blaze, which claimed 33 lives, as “heart-rending” and “pathetic”, Mukherjee told reporters the probe should establish whether proper safety measures had been taken by the authorities.
Replying to a query as to whether he would blame the authorities for the tragedy, Mukherjee said: “Before doing that, I first need to know what really happened.”
“A probe is needed. It should look into why the mishap occurred, whether proper safety measures had been taken,” said the state Congress president.
“The probe should find out whether it occurred because of some negligence, so that such incidents don’t recur,” he added.
Earlier, Mukherjee held a meeting with the district Congress presidents on forging an understanding with the Trinamool Congress in the coming municipal polls in West Bengal.
“In some districts, discussions on adjustment have already started with the Trinamool, while in some they are yet to start. If there are problems, we will see,” he said.
The elections to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and 81 municipalities in the state are being regarded as a semi-final contest between the struggling ruling Left Front and the opposition Trinamool and Congress, ahead of the assembly polls next year.
