Row erupts in Mumbai after Sanjay Shirsat calls fatal tree collapse natural

On Wednesday, Maharashtra Minister and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat drew sharp criticism from opposition political parties and sparked a major row in Mumbai after calling the falling of trees "natural" following a fatal school bus accident.

The controversy stems from a tragic incident on Tuesday in Mumbai, where a large peepal tree crashed directly onto a school bus. The accident resulted in the death of an 11-year-old schoolboy and left four other children injured.

Reacting to the tragedy, Shirsat questioned how anyone could have predicted the collapse of the tree. "How was one to know that the tree was going to fall? Falling of trees is natural. Maybe there were heavy winds," the minister had stated.

The minister's comments quickly drew heavy criticism from the opposition, who accused the state government of failing to properly prepare the city of Mumbai for the monsoon season.

Congress leader Nana Patole strongly condemned the minister's remarks, stating that they reflected "the level of arrogance" within the current government. Patole also targeted the state administration's safety measures, asserting that the monsoon preparedness was only on paper and that there was nothing actually done on the ground to protect citizens.

Amid the growing political backlash, Shirsat spoke to reporters on Wednesday to clarify his statement, claiming that his initial remarks had been misconstrued.

"This was a very unfortunate incident," Shirsat told reporters during his clarification on Wednesday. He explained his stance further, saying, "I had said that even though falling of trees is natural, civic authorities should take due precautions. Trees which are about to collapse should be removed before the onset of monsoon."

The political fallout highlights the ongoing tension over civic safety and monsoon preparedness in Mumbai following the tragic loss of the young student.