'You run..crash-proof service': BJP leader to reporter questioning chopper crash
What's the story
The Congress party has condemned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary and Uttarakhand in-charge Dushyant Gautam for his "callous and irresponsible" remarks on helicopter crashes.
The criticism comes after a fatal helicopter crash near Kedarnath on Sunday morning that killed all seven people on board.
When a reporter raised concerns about the rising number of helicopter accidents, Gautam had sarcastically responded, "You run a crash-proof chopper service where no one dies....You are a superhuman; you can run it."
Controversial statement
'Run crash-proof chopper service...': Gautam's sarcastic reply to reporter
He further dismissed safety concerns by saying that aviation services were being fully utilized and "no helicopters are flying empty," adding that while unfortunate, deaths are inevitable.
Gautam's controversial remarks drew flak from the Congress party.
The chopper was on its way from Kedarnath to Guptkashi when it crashed due to poor visibility and inclement weather conditions.
All seven people on board, including a 10-year-old girl and the pilot, were killed in the incident.
Accountability questioned
Congress spokesperson's scathing attack on BJP leader
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate slammed Gautam's mockery, saying, "Instead of taking responsibility, the BJP leader resorts to shameless mockery. This is the language of a former Rajya Sabha MP and BJP general secretary? Is this the standard of accountability?"
She also highlighted that this was the fifth helicopter crash in Uttarakhand in six weeks, which has resulted in 13 deaths.
Government response
CM Dhami orders high-level review
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the crash and ordered a high-level review to ensure strict adherence to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) norms.
"We have called an emergency meeting. No laxity in aviation safety norms will be tolerated," he said.
The ill-fated Aryan Aviation helicopter had taken off from Kedarnath at 5:17am and was heading to Guptkashi when it reportedly went off the radar.