Mumbai monsoon deaths man-made, not natural: Maha Congress demands FIR against Fadnavis
Synopsis
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal has demanded a culpable homicide case against CM Devendra Fadnavis over 12 monsoon deaths in Mumbai — calling them man-made, not natural. At the centre of his attack is the ₹7,181 crore Missing Link project, which was shut down just two months after launch following a pillar collapse, with 13 safety objections reportedly ignored before construction began.
Key Takeaways
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on 6 July demanded a culpable homicide FIR against CM Devendra Fadnavis over 12 deaths in Mumbai amid monsoon rains.
Sapkal alleged the deaths were caused by government mismanagement, not natural calamity.
The Missing Link project, which cost ₹7,181 crore , was closed to traffic just two months after launch following a pillar collapse.
Experts had reportedly raised 13 safety objections — including concerns about the Lonavala dam alignment and tunnel stability — before work was approved.
CM Fadnavis described the road's condition as a 'testing period'; Sapkal called the response 'shameless.' Congress also took aim at PM Narendra Modi 's foreign travel, alleging he was absent during a domestic crisis.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Monday, 6 July demanded that a case of culpable homicide be registered against Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, holding the state government directly responsible for 12 deaths across the Mumbai region amid torrential monsoon rains. Sapkal argued that the fatalities were not the result of a natural calamity but of what he called the Fadnavis administration's 'tyrannical mismanagement.'
The Allegation Against the Government
Addressing reporters, Sapkal charged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti government and its administration were 'completely unprepared' despite the predictable onset of the monsoon season. He said that while precautionary measures are essential during the rains, the government had failed on every count, resulting in massive loss of life and property across several parts of the state.
Sapkal alleged that the Fadnavis government's pattern of compromising public safety for kickbacks — while ignoring critical technical warnings — 'is being exposed every single day.'
Missing Link Project Under Scrutiny
A central focus of Sapkal's attack was the Missing Link project, on which the government reportedly spent ₹7,181 crore. He alleged the road had to be closed to traffic just two months after it became operational — an outcome he called deeply embarrassing.
According to Sapkal, during the tenure of former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, experts had raised 13 serious objections concerning the project's safety — covering alignment issues near the Lonavala dam, tunnel safety, geological stability, and other technical concerns. 'Instead of addressing these objections, the work was rushed through to host grand inauguration events for credit-grabbing and corruption. This subpar execution eventually culminated in a pillar collapse, forcing the suspension of traffic,' he said.
When Chief Minister Fadnavis was questioned about potholes on the Missing Link road, he reportedly described it as currently in a 'testing period.' Sapkal reacted sharply, calling the remark 'shameless' and asking whether the BJP government — in power since 2014 — had been running tests throughout its entire tenure.
Broader Political Charges
Sapkal drew a parallel with alleged irregularities at the Ram Temple, calling the government's defence of the Missing Link project 'a pathetic attempt to hide corruption.' He claimed that the more political 'engines' added to the ruling coalition, the more corruption would grow.
He further alleged that the BJP-Mahayuti government had 'ruined Mumbai for its own personal gains.' Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign travel schedule, Sapkal remarked that the Prime Minister had 'completely surrendered' and frequently went on foreign tours to 'hide his face,' adding sarcastically that Modi should 'occasionally stay in India.'
What Happens Next
The Congress has not yet formally filed the culpable homicide complaint, but Sapkal's public demand signals the party intends to escalate political and legal pressure on the Fadnavis government. With the monsoon season far from over and civic infrastructure under continued strain, the opposition is likely to keep the Mumbai deaths and the Missing Link controversy at the centre of its campaign in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
But it points to a real accountability gap: infrastructure failures during predictable weather events are rarely treated as governance failures in India. The Missing Link episode — ₹7,181 crore spent, 13 safety warnings reportedly ignored, road shut within two months — is exactly the kind of documented paper trail that makes such allegations difficult to dismiss as mere opposition rhetoric. The deeper problem is systemic: Maharashtra's urban infrastructure has long been built around inauguration timelines rather than engineering ones. Until project completion and incentive structures are decoupled from political credit cycles, monsoon-season collapses will keep recurring — and opposition parties will keep filing FIR demands instead of anyone facing consequences.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Maharashtra Congress demanding an FIR against CM Devendra Fadnavis?
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal has demanded a culpable homicide case against Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, holding him personally responsible for 12 deaths across the Mumbai region during monsoon rains on 6 July. The Congress argues the deaths resulted from government mismanagement rather than a natural calamity.
What is the Missing Link project and why is it controversial?
The Missing Link is a Maharashtra infrastructure project on which the government reportedly spent ₹7,181 crore. It became controversial after the road was closed to traffic just two months after launch, following a pillar collapse. Experts had reportedly raised 13 safety objections — covering tunnel safety, geological stability, and alignment near the Lonavala dam — before the project was approved.
What did CM Fadnavis say about the Missing Link project issues?
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reportedly described the road's condition, including potholes, as part of a 'testing period.' Congress president Sapkal called this response 'shameless,' questioning how a project worth ₹7,181 crore could still be in testing after years of BJP rule.
Who is Harshwardhan Sapkal?
Harshwardhan Sapkal is the President of the Maharashtra unit of the Indian National Congress (INC). He has been a vocal critic of the BJP-led Mahayuti government in the state and made the culpable homicide demand at a press conference on 6 July.
Has a formal complaint been filed yet?
As of 6 July, Sapkal had made a public demand for a culpable homicide FIR but had not confirmed that a formal complaint had been lodged. The Congress has signalled it intends to escalate both political and legal pressure on the Fadnavis government over the monsoon deaths.
