Kamala Mill fire: MP Hema Malini blames population explosion for incident

The Kamala Mill fire in central Mumbai has created a pall of gloom over the city. At least 14 people were killed in the incident and more than 20 were injured. And as in most such tragedies, the politicians are swooping in to apportion blame.

Veteran actress and member of Parliament Hema Malini has blamed Mumbai’s rising population for the fire. “Population is so much, the city is spreading like anything," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician told a news agency. "Some restrictions should be there on the population. Each city should have a certain population/limit, after that people should not be allowed. Let them go to another city.” 

Hema Malini's comments instantly made her the centre of trolling on social media.

Another veteran actress and Rajya Sabha member Jaya Bachchan blamed negligence for the fire and called the Kamala Mill premises a ‘bhool bhulaiya’, or maze. Speaking to Zee News, Jaya Bachchan said, “I have been to Kamala Mill, it is like a bhool bhulaiaya, having narrow lanes. Obviously there has been negligence.” 

Meanwhile, social activist Mangesh Kalaskar said he had made several complaints to the municipal corporation about illegal buildings within the mill premises but they all fell on deaf ears. “I made several complaints regarding the illegal Kamala Mill premises, but the BMC said there is nothing wrong here,” he told journalists.