'Cruel' Video Of Mumbai BJP Chief Ameet Satam 'Laughing' Over Monsoon-Related Deaths Goes Viral, Sparks Massive Outrage

Mumbai: A massive outrage has erupted in Maharashtra after a video purportedly showing Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam laughing over the deaths of innocent people due to monsoon and civic apathy went viral on social media.

The outrageous video was recorded outside the Vidhan Bhavan, where Satam was seen speaking with NCP (SP) MLA Jayant Patil. They appeared to be talking about the deaths being reported in Mumbai amidst heavy rainfall.

Satam was purportedly seen casually laughing and saying, "Yesterday, it was because of a tree, today it is a manhole.”

The purported video has triggered a political storm since back-to-back rain-related deaths have been reported in Mumbai, highlighting the glaring civic negligence in the city that boasts of having India's richest civic body- Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Had it not been for the glaring failure of municipal maintenance, these deaths could have been easily prevented.

Amongst the victims was a 11-year-old boy named Vihan Shrivastav, who was crushed to death when a tree collapsed on his school bus amidst heavy rainfall in Chembur on Tuesday.

Vihan was the only child of his parents. His family alleged that the tragedy could have been prevented, adding that the tree was in a dangerous condition and should have been removed earlier. According to the boy's grandfather, residents had raised concerns about the tree earlier, but no proper action had been taken.

Just two days after Vihan's death, a 60-year-old man died on after falling into an open manhole in Mumbai's Sakinaka area. The victim, identified as Aslam Isak Shaikh, fell into a 25-foot-deep stormwater drain that had been left completely uncovered for active maintenance work. 

‘Mumbai Will Remember’: ‘Laughing’ Video Sparks Outrage

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sanjay Raut launched a sharp attack against Ameet Satam, calling him “merchant of death”. Raut's colleague and former MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “An 11 year old child was killed due to a tree falling on the school bus. A 60 year old man died due to an uncovered manhole. These were both murders due to negligence of those in power. However forget accountability here we have Mumbai President of BJP casually joking about it and laughing loudly.”

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray wrote an open letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, saying, “People in the BJP's central leadership have grown arrogant with power…One of your MLAs and office-bearers laughs gleefully over people's deaths, and not a single step is taken against him.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aditya Thackeray said that Satam has a “weird sense of humour”, adding, “Mumbai will remember…won’t forgive the BJP for making a joke out of its terrible governance at large!”
 

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