Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said a case of culpable homicide must be registered against the Eknath Shinde government for the sunstroke deaths that took place a day earlier at the Maharashtra Bhushan award event in Kharghar in Navi Mumbai.
Thirteen people died and several others are hospitalised due to sunstroke and other health complications after several lakh people, mostly followers of awardee Appasaheb Dharmadhikari, attended the event under the scorching summer sun in the sprawling International Corporate Park on Sunday.
Appasaheb is working for humanity and when someone of his stature is being given an award, it is obvious lakhs of his followers would attend the function. The government knew this but air-conditioned mandap was made only for Union Home Minister Amit Shah, chief minister, deputy chief minister and other dignitaries, Patole said.
This is a state programme. Why was there no covering for the lakhs who attended? This is inhuman and that is why people are seeking that a case of culpable homicide be registered against the Maharashtra government, he added. Maharashtra Congress chief said the state government must take responsibility for the deaths and should resign.