Surat fire tragedy: Gujarat govt hasn't learned from past tragedies, says SUCI

SUCI demonstration in Surat

By A Representative
In a memorandum to Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI), Gujarat, a political group, has said that the Takshshila fire tragedy in Surat, which has led to the death of 23 students, suggests that the Gujarat government has not learned any lesson over the last two years, during which period 11 incidents of fire tragedy leading to the loss of 27 lives took place in the city.
“Has your government learned any lessons from it? Or the same noise, same reaction of strict action by your government to forget it and to move on further?”, SUCI’s Meenakshi Joshi said, adding, “Every day, In our country there are 59 deaths due to fire incidents. This is much more than death due to terrorism or crime.”
Asserting that “fire safety norms are never complied in Gujarat”, Joshi said, “Three fire tragedies took place in past six months in Gujarat. Now after the incident in Takhshila tuition class, the government suddenly is awakened again to clamp down on tuition classes. On checking the flouters get notices but no actions are taken.”
“There is no provision at all to fight fire in many buildings. In Surat in last December 2018, seven tuition classes were closed for lack of fire safety. The fire tragedy killed one student and one teacher in Vesu locality of Surat. As per Surat Municiapal Commissioner more than 200 tuition classes were checked but Takshshila was not checked”, she said.
Calling it a black day, the memorandum said that “awarding Rs 4 lakh compensation for the dead is just an eyewash, insisting, it should be enhanced to Rs 25 lakh.” Pointing out that “the fire Brigade is in poor state”, the memorandum added, “During the Takshila fire incident it was found that the Fire Brigade does not have safety nets. The jumping students were caught by the brave people of Surat and saved many lives.”

Neville Cardus: The man who turned cricket writing into poetry

By Harsh Thakor* Neville Cardus was one of the most remarkable literary figures of the twentieth century. A prolific English writer and critic, he achieved distinction in two vastly different fields: cricket and classical music. Entirely self-taught, Cardus rose from humble beginnings to become both the cricket correspondent and chief music critic of The Manchester Guardian . His achievements in these contrasting disciplines earned him widespread acclaim and established him as one of the foremost critics of his generation. In February 2025, the cricketing and literary world marked the fiftieth anniversary of his death, which occurred in February 1975.

Ideological shifts and structural realities within India's left-wing insurgency

By Harsh Thakor* The Maoist insurgency in India is arguably at its weakest point since the formation of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in 2004. Years of sustained counterinsurgency operations, leadership losses, shrinking territorial influence, declining recruitment, and growing technological advantages enjoyed by the state have significantly eroded the movement's operational capabilities.

The Dalit body on screen: Stereotypes, sacrifice, and subjugation in Hindi films

By Dr. Prem Singh* Despite centuries of reformist efforts, from Gandhi and Ambedkar to contemporary activists, the caste system remains deeply embedded in the Indian psyche. One of the primary reasons for this persistence is the religious sanction provided by Brahminical scriptures, which have shaped not only social structures but also cultural and artistic expressions.

Counterview

Search This Blog