SAMAJ WEEKLY UK
In India accidents and natural disasters have vastly increased within the last few years. Railway Accidents have become a common sight but Air India’s crash in Ahmedabad (Gujrat – India) on the 12th June 2025 has put India’s aviation also under scope.
These accidents are occurring through human error or the Authority’s negligence but the increase in natural disasters is resulting through climate change for which human greed is responsible. The damage through natural disasters has become so extreme that it has now become a worldwide issue. In some parts, the forest fires are playing havoc. Even with modern technology they are extremely hard to put off.
The most worrying part is that this Air India crash is being labelled as “Gods Act” to divert attention away from the company’s negligence. The present Government has done the same with the railway crashes.
By giving religious aspects to these railway crashes, it has managed to divert attention away from themselves. In return it has helped those responsible to keep and maintain their positions. The BJP needs their members to remain in their allocated positions so for this reason the MP’s who have committed heinous crimes are still on their posts.
In previous Governments, the Member of Parliament and even the State Minister would vacate position if found that the incident has occurred through his/her negligence. Under this Government, this does not apply.
There were a couple of posts of criticism on social media prior to Air India flight 171 taking off from Vallabh Bhai Patel International Airport, Ahmadabad. It departed at 13.47 and within 48 seconds it met its fate, costing 274 lives.
It is a miracle that out of 242 people on the plane, one passenger named Vishwas Kumar Ramesh has walked out alive from the burning inferno. He was returning back to his home in England.
On the plane there were 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The extra 32 in the list are of those who have lost their lives in the Doctors Training Establishment into which the plane crashed. Within the deceased was also ex chief Minister of Gujrat Vijay Ramniklal Rupani. He was travelling to England to visit his daughter.
A passenger who had travelled on this plane, disembarked in Ahmedabad. He was so dissatisfied that he put a post on the social media complaining about the passenger safety and endured discomfort.
His video showed of the A/C not working in the plane and the passengers using whatever means they had to fan air to keep cool. In it, it also shows that the call buttons to attract crew’s attention and the screens for passenger viewing were not working. He felt that there is some sort of electric failure and needs to be rectified.
So, he put the video on the social media to attract the public and the Authority’s attention but failed to get any response. Following the crash, it went viral. If it had gone viral whilst the plane was parked, it is quite likely that someone in authority may have taken notice of the seriousness and instant action may have saved many lives.
This incident has got nothing to do with God’s wish because it has resulted through the company’s negligence. There are signs of lack in maintenance and the video sums that. This Air India crash cannot be brushed under the carpet as has been done with the Railway crashes.
In the railway crashes, mainly are local passengers who are very poor and are voiceless so with lapse of time it all dies down. But with the Air India crash, there were British, Portuguese and Canadian citizens who have also lost their lives. So, it has become an international issue.
The Black Box of the crashed Boeing 787 has been sent to the USA for data retrieval because India’s data retrieval is not equipped to handle damage caused by a crash blaze. The entry from the Digital Flight Data will be extracted in a Washington based laboratory of the National Safety Transport Board.
The data will be shared with India’s Aircraft Accident Bureau. The experts who have shared their views with worldwide viewers are eagerly waiting for the outcome following data retrieval by the US Authorities.
Through the Air India crash, a loss has been suffered that cannot be weighed. The ambition of the 32 Training Doctors has been destroyed. Their families who had big hopes set on them have vanished in a flash.
The passengers when boarding that flight were looking forward to safely reach their destinations. Some were returning back to their families and others were coming to visit beloved ones. Some were coming to tour Britain. Unfortunately, all their hopes have ended within a minute following the Air India’s take off.
The Corporations should put safety first and not the profit gains.
I pray to Almighty to give strength and courage to all who have lost their beloved ones. My heart also weeps for the Aircraft Crew who whilst doing the good service have lost their lives. I pray for all the souls to rest in peace.
Jai Bharat.
Thank you.
M. Teji
