In the aftermath of the devastating Ahmedabad plane crash, political parties across the country, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress, have cancelled their scheduled public events and campaigns. The Air India flight, which took off from Ahmedabad for London, tragically crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday morning, claiming the lives of over 242 passengers. Air India B-787 Dreamliner aircraft operating as flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick Airport in London crashed into the B.J. Medical College and Civil Hospital. The medical facility is located in the residential area of Meghani Nagar in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The incident has deeply shocked the nation, prompting immediate responses and program cancellations from leaders across party lines as a mark of respect for the victims.
The BJP, which had scheduled a series of press conferences in major cities to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 11 years in office, called off all such events nationwide. In Pune, a press briefing was planned on Thursday afternoon at the BJP city office featuring National General Secretary Arun Singh and Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar. BJP Pune city president Dheeraj Ghate confirmed that the press conference was cancelled following the tragic incident. He added that all other public engagements involving Minister Shelar were also suspended.
Congress also announced the cancellation of its torchlight marches (mashaal morchas), which had been scheduled across Maharashtra to highlight alleged irregularities in recent state assembly elections. The campaign, led by senior party leader Rahul Gandhi, aimed to raise public awareness about the alleged manipulation of electoral outcomes. One such rally was set to take place in Pune on Saturday, June 14. However, in light of the crash, the party issued a statement informing the public that the event has been postponed. A new date will be announced later.
The impact of the plane crash has extended beyond immediate political circles, affecting planned government briefings and public mobilization efforts. The central government had initially deployed senior ministers and party officials to various states to spearhead outreach initiatives. These efforts have now been put on hold. The unfortunate plane crash that happened in Ahmedabad this afternoon has caused Prime Minister Narendra Modi to express his deep sadness. Calling the tragedy "heartbreaking beyond words," he expressed his condolences to everyone impacted by the catastrophe.
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Actor Salman Khan has made a big decision in the wake of the Ahmedabad plane accident. Salman had been expected to take part in today's Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL) race in Mumbai. However, because of the tragedy, this event has been postponed and cancelled. This significant choice was made after the organisers spoke with Salman Khan and the event planners.
This tragic aviation disaster led to the halting of flight operations at Ahmedabad airport for a while. Black box recovery teams are currently working to retrieve the flight data recorder to understand what caused the crash. With public sentiment running high, political parties across the spectrum have prioritized respect for the victims and their families over ongoing campaigns, offering condolences and standing in solidarity with the grieving nation.