'Agree That Basement Should Be Sealed, But...': Vikas Divyakirti Says Amid Row Over IAS Aspirants' Death
Vikas Divyakirti said that even if he gets permission for the basement, he will not work in the basement. He also said that not a single coaching institute should run from the basement.
Under fire for violating safety norms in its centre in Delhi, Drishti IAS head Vikas Divyakirti said that he agreed that the basement should be sealed, but added that several structures including Delhi metro, malls and Palika Bazar in the national capital operate in basements.
Divyakirti's remarks came following the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's (MCD) sealing of several coaching centres in the national capital including Drishti IAS’s basement.
The crackdown comes after flooding in the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle in Old Rajendra Nagar, in which three civil service aspirants drowned due to waterlogging last week.
"We completely agree that the basement should be sealed. But Delhi Metro runs in the basement, underground, and Palika Bazar is in the basement itself. Almost every mall in Delhi has very big shopping complexes in the basement because the basement there has been built properly," Vikas Divyakirti said in an interview to ANI.
#WATCH | Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar Coaching Centre incident | On being asked why is he being targetted, Dr. Vikas Divyakirti, founder and MD of Drishti IAS says "I am getting targetted because in such cases, everyone wants a scapegoat. It makes things easier for the… pic.twitter.com/PmoKiLSqPW
— ANI (@ANI) July 30, 2024
He said that he had submitted the complete layout structure of the basement to the MCD, DDA and the fire department for NOC, and there has been no rejection so far.
He added that even though he gets permission for the basement, he will not work in the basement. He also said that not a single coaching institute should run from the basement.
"I am saying on record that we have submitted the complete layout structure of the basement to MCD, DDA and the fire department for NOC, and there has been no rejection from there till now. But despite this, after seeing the incident that happened in the last 3 days, I feel that this was carelessness," he said.
"The thought never came to our mind and I am saying very openly that even if we get the permission in future, we will not work in the basement. I assure you of this and not a single coaching institute should run the basement," he added.
In a statement earlier today, Divyakirti expressed his condolences for the families of the three victims of the basement tragedy -- Shreya Yadav, Tanya Soni and Nevin Dalwin in the flooding incident on 27 July.
प्रेस विज्ञप्ति
— Drishti IAS (@drishtiias) July 30, 2024
तिथि- 30 जुलाई, 2024
शनिवार (27 जुलाई) को राजिंदर नगर स्थित एक कोचिंग संस्थान की बेसमेंट में हुई त्रासद घटना तथा उसके बाद बनी परिस्थितियों पर टीम दृष्टि का पक्ष निम्नलिखित है:
1) हमें खेद है कि हमने अपना पक्ष रखने में देरी की। वस्तुतः हम नहीं चाहते थे कि अधूरी… pic.twitter.com/qp3hpkgYs6
"We express our deepest condolences on the untimely and painful demise of the three students. We pay our humble tributes to the three aspirants and pray to God to give courage to their families to bear this irreparable loss," the statement read.
There has been an uproar on social media with students protesting over the incident and calling out the alleged silence of Vikas Divyakirti.
Reacting to the attacks on social media, Dr Vikas Divyakirti said, "I am getting targetted because in such cases, everyone wants a scapegoat. It makes things easier for the administration, they think they are safe, let that one person suffer, and even the society feels that they have got the accused."
#WATCH | Old Rajinder Nagar incident | Dr. Vikas Divyakirti, founder and MD of Drishti IAS says, "...We completely agree that the basement should be sealed. But Delhi Metro runs in the basement, underground, and Palika Bazar is in the basement itself. Almost every mall in Delhi… pic.twitter.com/xBPgnWjR8g
— ANI (@ANI) July 30, 2024
"The students are going through an emotional turmoil, the reason for their anger is why did I not stand with them... The sealing action took place on more than 50 institutes, one of them is ours... 3 children died, it was a painful death, for the last 3 days whenever we talk at home or I go to sleep, an image comes to my mind that what those children must have gone through when the water was filled inside," he added.
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