AIZAWL: Under pressure to resign following a bridge collapse that claimed one life, Mizoram's Public Works Minister Lal Thanzara today said he owned moral responsibility for the incident.
Opposition parties Mizo National Front, People's Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram, and Mizo People's Party yesterday demanded resignation of the PWD minister, brother of Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, by owning responsibility of the death of a man in the bridge collapse.
"It was an extremely unfortunate incident and I felt responsible as the PWD minister," Lal Thanzara told a press conference here.
A bailey bridge being constructed over Tuirini river in Aizawl district collapsed on Tuesday.
He said he had informed his willingness to resign to acting Chief Minister R.Lalzirliana and the Congress Legislature Party secretary.
"The two leaders told me that it is not necessary to tender resignation and the people of his constituency did not ask him to quit," Lal Thanzara said.
R. Lalzirliana is the acting chief minister as Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla is away in New Delhi on official work.
Addressing a party meeting, Lal Thanzara said he did not have any defence for the collapse of the bridge in which one person died and another was injured.
A statement issued by the state Congress said party workers present in the meeting also did not want the minister to resign.