Jamaat-e-Islami Hind calls for urgent public safety reforms amidst mounting national tragedies
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New Delhi: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has called for immediate nationwide reforms in public safety, following a string of recent tragedies that have raised serious concerns about institutional accountability and emergency preparedness in India. At a monthly press conference held in the capital on Saturday, JIH Vice President Prof Salim Engineer expressed deep sorrow and grave concern over the tragic factory explosion in Telangana, the stampede in Puri during the Rath Yatra, and the recent air crash in Ahmedabad.
“Three tragic incidents occurred in Ahmedabad, Puri, and Telangana within a few weeks. They point toward a larger pattern of public safety risks that demand urgent reflection. While we acknowledge the prompt responses by state and central authorities, including compensation and inquiries, these measures, though important, do not address the deeper structural and institutional weaknesses that enable such tragedies to recur,” said Prof Salim.
Referring to the events in detail, he noted that on June 30, a devastating explosion at Sigachi Industries’ pharmaceutical unit in Telangana claimed the lives of 40 workers and left many critically injured. Preliminary findings indicate possible structural failures, outdated machinery, and severe safety lapses. Just a day earlier, three devotees were killed and over 50 injured in a stampede near Puri’s Gundicha Temple, raising alarms over inadequate crowd management at major religious events. The recent air crash in Ahmedabad further exposed serious gaps in civil aviation oversight and emergency response systems.
“Over the past six months, India has witnessed industrial fires, civic infrastructure collapses, and stampedes at public gatherings, all contributing to a growing sense of public anxiety about safety in workplaces, festivals, and everyday environments,” he added.
In light of these concerns, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind proposed the following concrete reforms:
- A comprehensive national review of public safety laws, frameworks, and emergency protocols must be undertaken.
- A uniform and enforceable safety code applicable across all industries, events, and public infrastructure should be developed, accompanied by clear accountability mechanisms
- Crowd management and civil aviation protocols must be modernized, particularly for large-scale religious and cultural events, as well as urban transit systems.
- Real-time oversight, early warning systems, and disaster prevention units should be strengthened and resourced at both local and national levels.
- Worker representation and community involvement in safety planning and audits must be encouraged.
- Empowered regulatory bodies and safety inspectors must be free from administrative pressure and sufficiently supported to act effectively.
- Political leadership and concerned authorities must be held accountable and sensitized to take moral as well as administrative responsibility for such major incidents.
Turning to international developments, Prof Salim Engineer condemned the ongoing violence in Gaza and recent airstrikes on Iran. “The ongoing genocide in Gaza, Israel’s illegal occupation, and inhuman apartheid policies have crossed all limits of morality and humanity. The bombing of starving civilians waiting in line for a piece of bread will go down in history as one of the worst brutalities human history has ever recorded,” he stated.
He continued, “The recent US-Israel attacks on Iran must also be viewed as part of the broader genocidal project. These attacks violate the sovereignty of an independent nation and undermine international law. We call upon the international community to abandon political hypocrisy, recognize and respond to the genocide, and initiate decisive actions to hold the perpetrators accountable.”
Commenting on the renewed violence in Manipur, Maulana Shafi Madani, National Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, expressed deep concern over the situation in Imphal, where retaliatory violence marked by arson, vandalism, and clashes with security forces has escalated. “The violent retaliation in Imphal, marked by arson, vandalism, and attempts to overpower security forces, shows the alarming hold of radical armed groups in the valley. Their political patronage and impunity must be ended,” he said.
Maulana Shafi emphasised the urgent need for a decisive government response, pointing out that thousands of displaced families remain homeless and traumatised, with children’s education, employment, and basic services severely disrupted. He reiterated JIH’s call for the complete disarmament of all illegal militias, the dismantling of hate networks, and the rehabilitation of displaced people. He concluded, “Silence from top leadership is unacceptable. Both the Prime Minister and Home Minister must act decisively to end this humanitarian crisis.”
