India, Sept. 16 -- The tragic collapse of a five-storey paying guest (PG) accommodation in Delhi's Satya Niketan - claiming the lives of seven young students and injuring several others - was not an act of God. It reflects institutional manslaughter and is deeply shameful for a country that promises to become a developed nation by 2047.

For hours, as rescue teams pulled crushed bodies and screaming survivors from beneath pulverised concrete, the true culprit remained undisturbed in comfortable municipal offices. This tragedy was not caused merely by ageing brickwork or unseasonal rainfall; it was caused by systemic decay, unchecked corruption and the criminal negligence of civic authorities entrusted with public safety. This writer knows...