KALABURAGI: AICC President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, has expressed shock over the tragic plane crash that occurred in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on Thursday afternoon.
Addressing a hastily convened press conference in Kalaburagi, Kharge conveyed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the crash and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. He appealed to activists from all organisations, including the Congress Party, to extend help to the injured and to the families of the deceased.
The AICC President urged the government to take full responsibility for providing all necessary assistance, including financial and medical support, to the victims. “The government should ensure that all the injured receive priority treatment,” he said.
Kharge also demanded a high-level inquiry into the incident to establish the cause of the crash and identify those responsible. “The union government should conduct a probe either by a sitting Supreme Court judge or a retired Supreme Court judge to find out the truth on why the incident took place and who is responsible for the tragedy,” he said.
Highlighting preliminary information, Kharge claimed there was alleged pressure on the pilot to take off before the scheduled departure time. “Only an inquiry would reveal the truth,” he said.
According to initial reports, 169 Indian passengers and 53 foreign nationals lost their lives in the crash. As the plane crashed into a residential area near the Ahmedabad airport, several buildings are suspected to have been damaged. “The government should compensate all those who have sustained losses,” Kharge added.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and Belagavi MP Jagadish Shettar, who is on a tour of Kalaburagi district to attend a party programme, has also expressed his condolences.