New Delhi, Jan 21: Preeti Aggarwal, mayor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation, who was caught on camera asking officials not to speak against the firecracker factory where a massive fire broke out yesterday, has called the video fake and demanded an apology from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for spreading a lie on social media. “I only made some inquiry about the place from my co-workers and I meant we shouldn’t say anything about such unfortunate incident at this time”, NDMC mayor clarified.
Speaking to news agency ANI, the NDMC mayor said,”The worst part amidst this entire painful incident is that a fabricated video has been made viral. I expect Arvind Kejriwal to apoligise to me for spreading this lie.”
She also said the industrial area where the fire took place, “is under DSIDC and land allotment has been done by the Delhi government”.
Earlier in the day, a video of Preeti Aggarwal was surfaced on social media which she was seen cautioning the officials from speaking against the factory as it was registered with them. Aggarwal, who visited the spot to take stock of the situation, was heard telling officials, “Is factory ki license humare paas hai, isliye kuch nai bolna. (The license of this factory is with us, so we should not speak against it.)
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari had also defended Aggarwal earlier in the day and called the video fake. He claimed,”People are trying to make that fake video viral at a sad time just to blame our party. Delhi CM Kejriwal re-tweeted it, he must apologise for such low-level politics in time of despair.”
Another BJP leader OP Sharma also said that the matter should not be politicised and priority should be to provide relief to the people.
“The matter should not be politicised. People should take a lesson from this for future references. The party will see to the statement made by Aggarwal”, Sharma said.
The Delhi police had earlier arrested the co-owner of the firecracker unit Manoj Jain and registered a case against him under IPC sections 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).”
“Manoj Jain has been apprehended. As per the information, the two partners were there. Manoj Jain and Lalit Goel. It is to be verified whether they are the owners or have taken the premises on rent,”Rohini Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajneesh Gupta had said.
On Saturday, 17 people were killed and several others injured in a tragic fire accident that took place at a firecracker factory in sector 5 of Bawana industrial area.