MUMBAI: Mumbai BJP president and MLA Ameet Satam is facing backlash after a video surfaced showing him smiling while discussing recent monsoon-related deaths in the city.The video was recorded on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan, where Satam was seen speaking with NCP (SP) MLA Jayant Patil.In the video, Satam says, “Yesterday, it was because of a tree, today it is a manhole.”His remarks referred to two separate incidents this week in which an 11-year-old boy was killed after a tree fell on a school bus, while a 60-year-old man died after falling into an uncovered manhole in Mumbai.Reacting to the video, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut shared a screenshot of the video on X and wrote, “Merchants of death. The cruel face of Mumbai BJP.”Mumbai Congress president and MP Varsha Gaikwad also criticised Satam, saying, “If you can’t help people, at least don’t laugh so brazenly. Show some humanity.”Former Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi described the two deaths as “murders” caused by the negligence of those in power.“However, forget accountability, here we have Mumbai President of BJP casually joking about it and laughing loudly. Tells you all about the triple engine governance,” Chaturvedi posted on X.MNS chief Raj Thackeray also condemned Satam’s remarks and called on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to take action against him.“Those behaving so shamelessly.” “Your party MLA and office-bearer is seen laughing over people’s deaths, and not a single step is taken against him,” he said.Responding to the criticism, Satam said his comments had been taken out of context.“I was telling Jayant Patil that while speaking in the assembly a day earlier, I had spoken about the tree falling, and the next day, I spoke about the manhole incident,” Satam said.Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray also posted on X.“Truly disgraceful that the BJP’s Mumbai unit president- Satam, can joke and laugh about the 2 deaths of Mumbaikars in the first rains in Mumbai on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan.”“He was laughing about Mumbaikars discussing the death of a child in a tree fall incident, followed by a death of another person falling into the manhole… his weird sense of humour caught by the news channels,” Aaditya added.
