Dotasra slams Modi for silence on death of labourers

Jaipur: The death of three labourers due to suffocation while cleaning a septic drain in Bikaner city prompted widespread condemnation by the opposition members who demanded an immediate investigation into what Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra termed an "institutional murder."

Dotasra criticised the PM and the BJP state govt for their silence on the tragedy, pointing out that no safety equipment or training was provided to the labourers.

"This is not an accident, but an institutional murder," Dotasra said, calling for strict action against those responsible and appropriate compensation for the victims' families. "Prime Minister ji, today (Thursday) in Bikaner, three workers tragically died from suffocation while cleaning a drain. This is not an accident, but an institutional murder. It was expected that you would say a few words of condolence to the families of the deceased workers, but neither did you express condolences nor did the BJP state govt take responsibility for it. No safety kit, no training, no empathy... are the lives of workers so cheap?" Dotasra said on X.

LOP Tikaram Jully highlighted that similar incidents had recently occurred in Alwar, Deeg and other locations across the state. He demanded strict enforcement of the 'Manual Scavenging' law and immediate financial assistance to the bereaved families.

Former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot condemned the incident as a "gross violation of human rights," noting that the workers were sent to clean without proper safety equipment or supervision.

Opposition members have uniformly called for a thorough investigation and implementation of proper safety protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.