Satya Niketan Collapse: Congress Leaders Demand Accountability

On Sunday night, a dilapidated paying‑guest (PG) building in Satya Niketan gave way, trapping students inside and ultimately claiming six lives. The tragedy has sparked a fiery response from Congress stalwarts, who say the administration has been anything but transparent.

Deepender Singh Hooda, speaking amid a sit‑in with NSUI members, lamented that “the administration has not yet given any definite number of students who may be trapped under the debris.” He added that families were left praying in the dark, unsure whether their loved ones were alive or not.

Hooda didn’t stop at the lack of numbers. He probed the whole system that allowed such illegal PGs to operate, asking bluntly: “Who is running these illegal PGs, who approved their building maps, and who issued the fire‑safety certificates?” The tone was unmistakably accusatory, suggesting that a web of negligence had enabled the disaster.

Another Congress voice, Srinivas B.V., went further, claiming the rescue teams took two hours to reach the site. “Where was the government sleeping?” he asked, critiquing what he called a “double‑engine” administration that allegedly puts students’ safety on the back burner.

According to police reports, a distress call came in at about 1:30 pm, prompting officers from the South Campus station to discover the collapsed PG. Some students were rescued on the spot and rushed to a nearby hospital. As the situation unfolded, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with CATS ambulances and other officials, converged on the scene to continue the search.

While rescue operations are still underway, Hooda promised that NSUI and Congress workers would stay with the affected students, “standing with them in their fight for safety, rights and justice.” He even threw a jab at the ABVP protest outside the MCD office, quoting a popular slogan, “Chor machae shor,” to underline his point.

The episode has reignited a broader debate about unregulated PG accommodations near campuses, fire‑safety clearances, and the accountability mechanisms that should prevent such calamities. As families wait for answers, the pressure on local authorities is mounting, with many demanding a thorough inquiry and swift action to safeguard student housing.