Inhuman to hold roadshow in same area where hoarding collapse killed people: Raut targets PM

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said it was inhuman for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold a roadshow in the same area of Mumbai where the hoarding collapse incident claimed the lives of 16 persons.

He said that roads and Metro rail services were shut 12 pm onwards on Wednesday on account of PM Modi's roadshow from Ghatkopar west to Ghatkopar east.

"Never ever has such an incident happened where roads were shut for one person's campaign, causing inconvenience to people. It is inhuman to hold a roadshow where people died after the hoarding collapse," the Sena (UBT) MP said.

A giant hoarding of 120 feet x 120 feet collapsed in Chheda Nagar area of Ghatkopar during gusty winds on Monday that killed 16 persons and left 75 injured.

PM Modi held the mega roadshow in Ghatkopar on Wednesday evening to canvas support for the candidates of the BJP and its allies. The roadshow came ahead of the May 20 polling for the six Lok Sabha constituencies in Mumbai and seven others in the rest of Maharashtra. The elections in Maharashtra will conclude with the fifth phase.

Ahead of the event, Mumbai Metro services were suspended between Jagruti Nagar and Ghatkopar stations for security reasons. The services resumed later. Police also closed some adjoining roads due to the roadshow and diverted traffic.