Facing flak over the , the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) has hit out against the BRS and BJP, accusing the Opposition parties of “insensitive and opportunistic politics”.
The fire on Sunday morning had claimed 17 lives, including eight children.
TPCC spokesperson Syed Nizamuddin told , “They…, the Opposition parties, are doing politics over corpses instead of standing with grieving families.”
Nizamuddin said the time had come to stop the blame game and start a people-centric fire safety movement across Telangana. “Seventeen lives, including children, were lost in the horrific May 19 fire at a commercial complex in Gulzar Houz. This is not just a tragedy, it is a wakeup call,” Nizamuddin said. “While the Congress government under Chief Minister A responded with urgency and compassion, announcing Rs 5 lakh ex gratia for each of the deceased and extending all support, the BRS and chose to exploit the dead for political mileage.”
He said the Chief Minister has already ordered a probe to identify the cause of the fire and prevent future tragedies. A six-member high-level committee has been formed for a comprehensive probe and to give long-term recommendations to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
“This is not about shifting blame. This is about fixing the system. Fire safety is not a slogan, it is a civic necessity,” Nizamuddin said.
The Congress spokesperson stressed that preventable fires cannot be treated as routine accidents. “Every time there is a fire, we hear ‘short circuit’. But what causes them? Who is educating people on what to do? Why are there no preventive steps?” he asked.
He called for immediate statewide fire safety awareness drives in homes, schools, apartments, and commercial spaces. He recommended regular electrical audits, controlled use of high-power devices during peak hours, installation of alarms, and proper ventilation systems. He also stressed the need for building evacuation awareness, especially in congested localities. He specifically pointed to the Old City of , where narrow lanes obstruct firefighting operations. “The fire department must be equipped with compact vehicles that can navigate these streets. We cannot have 21st-century fires being tackled with 20th-century tools,” he said.
Quoting data from various sources, Nizamuddin said that Telangana reported 5,407 fire incidents in the first five months of 2025 — 50 of them classified as serious and 20 as major. Hyderabad alone saw over 2,500 fire calls last year, and over 450 this year, mostly due to electrical faults, he said. He listed recent tragedies, including fires in Begum Bazaar, Chandanagar, Puppalaguda, Pasha Colony, Yakutpura, Jiyaguda, Bazaarghat, and Swapnalok Complex. “Each case was marked by delay in response and lack of preparedness. These are not coincidences. These are warnings.”
“This is not the time to point fingers. This is the time to fix the system. Stop the drama. Start the reform. Let’s not trade lives for headlines. Let’s build a safer Telangana,” Nizamuddin said.
