Rahul Gandhi won't 'politicise' Morbi tragedy

Hyderabad, Oct 31: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday refused to comment on the Morbi tragedy, saying any attempt to politicise the bridge collapse will be disrespectful to those who died in the incident.

When reporters asked Rahul Gandhi about who according to him should be held responsible for the Morbi bridge collapse, the Congress leader said, "I don't want to politicise this incident. People have lost lives there. It's disrespectful for them to do it. So I am not going to do it."

The Congress leader observed a two-minute silence today in memory of those who were killed after the bridge collapsed.

The century-old bridge, which had reopened five days ago after extensive repairs and renovation, was crammed with people when it collapsed around 6.30 pm on Sunday.

An 'engineering marvel' built at the turn of the 19th century, the suspension bridge was said to reflect ''the progressive and scientific nature of the rulers of Morbi,'' as per its description on the district collectorate website.

The bridge was 1.25 metres wide and spanned 233 metres, and was meant to give a unique identity to Morbi using the latest technology available in those days in Europe, as per the collectorate website.