The Congress on Friday criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his comments following the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, calling them “insensitive” and an “abdication of responsibility.” Shah had remarked that “nobody can stop accidents,” a statement that has drawn sharp political reactions.
Sharing a video clip of Shah’s comments, Congress leader Pawan Khera accused the Home Minister of shrugging off responsibility. “When a plane crashes and people die, the least a home minister can offer is a promise of accountability, not a shrug and a lecture on fate,” Khera posted on X. “Aviation accidents are not acts of God — they are preventable. That’s why we have regulators, safety protocols, and crisis response systems.”
Khera questioned the utility of safety systems if the government believes such incidents are inevitable. “Going by the home minister’s logic, should we stop investing in safety infrastructure, regulation, or crisis preparedness altogether? Just leave it to fate and call it a day?”
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also weighed in, asking, “Is this what the Union Home Minister should be saying now? It is most insensitive.”
On Thursday, Shah had told reporters that the heat from the 1.25 lakh litres of burning fuel in the aircraft made survival nearly impossible, but he also noted that one person did survive. “The entire nation is in deep shock following the tragedy,” he said, offering condolences to the families of the deceased.
The Air India flight, en route to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 on board. The impact also resulted in casualties at the medical college building that the aircraft struck. One person miraculously survived the crash and is currently under observation in the hospital.
As of now, the BJP has not issued a response to the Congress’ criticism.