Morbi bridge collapse: 'Save Jayasukh Patel' posters go viral as grieving families demand justice
A social media campaign was started to 'save' Jaysukh Patel while the Morbi victims' families demanded a death sentence.
Published: 03rd February 2023 06:53 PM | Last Updated: 03rd February 2023 06:53 PM | A+A A-
Image of search and rescue work at the bridge collapse site in Morbi. (Photo | AP)
AHMEDABAD: Controversy erupted after the arrest of Oreva Group Managing Director Jaysukh Patel, the prime accused in the Morbi bridge collapse case which resulted in last year's suspension bridge collapse tragedy in which 135 people were killed on October 30, 2022.
A social media campaign was started to 'save' Jaysukh Patel while the Morbi victims' families demanded a death sentence.
This campaign has led to several questions being raised about his arrest. It is important to note that the court has granted remand of Jaysukh Patel for eight days.
After Jaysukh Patel’s arrest, some posters went viral on social media. One post wrote, "O.R. Patl Father of Jaysukh Patel who is known as the donor of Morbi, the ideology of his family has always been toward Public service. With public service in mind, Jaysukh Patel cannot do anything wrong for just 10-15 rupees in tickets a day. Let's come together and support Jaysukhbhai."
Along with this, a link is also going viral where people are making posters with their photos in support of Jaysukh Patel.
The social media campaign to save Jaysukh Patel has hurt the families of those who died in the Morbi tragedy the most. Jagdish Makwana has lost three members of his family (his brother, nephew and son) in this tragic accident.
Makwana says with tears in his eyes, “Those who run such campaigns do not know the pain of losing a family member, I have lost three members of my family, I have full faith in the justice system, and I demand that Jaysukh Patel should be hanged in public. Many people have lost the support of their families due to Jaysukh Patel’s lure of just a few rupees. Shame on those who run such campaigns on social media.
Besides this, the deceased’s family members who were present when Jaysukh Patel surrendered in the court surrounded the police car and chanted 'Jaysukh hay-hay' outside the court on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the chief judicial magistrate court in Morbi sent Oreva Group managing director Jaysukh Patel to police remand till February 8 following his surrender on January 31 after he was named as a prime accused in the bridge collapse tragedy.
Jaysukh Patel’s Oreva Group was given the contract by the Morbi municipality in March 2022 to repair, operate, and maintain the bridge for 15 years and to collect revenue from its ticket sales.
