‘Narcissistic propaganda minister’: Opposition fumes over Odisha train accident, some ‘ready to give suggestions’
The railways have said that ‘Kavach’ - the automatic train protection system was not available on the route where the accident occurred on Friday evening.
PremiumOpposition leaders have been left fuming after a horrific three train crash killed more than 260 people and injured nearly 1000 others. While some emphasied the need to prioritise the rescue operations others have called for Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw's resignation. Former Railway Ministers including RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee have also weighed in, flagging the lack of ‘Kavach’ anti-collision system on the trains.
"Tragic train accident. There was a time when the country knew the name of the Railway Minister. The Railway Budget used to be presented separately. Railways had not been privatised. The youth used to get lakhs of jobs in the railways. Now no one knows the Railway Minister! All the green flags are shown by one and only one narcissistic propaganda minister," the RJD tweeted in apparent reference to PM Modi flagging off all Vande Bharat Express trains.
Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee meanwhile insisted that she was ‘ready to give suggestions’ as a member of the railway family. She too noted that the railway budget was not presented nowadays.
"Something must be behind this. The truth must come out. Why didn't the anti-collision system work?" Banerjee said
ALSO READ: Odisha train accident: Mamata Banerjee flags lack of ‘anti-collision device’
The Congress took a somewhat milder approach, with top leaders asserting that today was not the right day to apportion blame.
“I have to ask many questions to our great PM and Railways Minister. They have to answer why such things are happening and who is responsible for this...but today we have to extend relief to the suffering people…" said party Chief Malliarjun Kharge.
He urged people to come forward ‘irrespective of the political parties’ to help the victims and extended his ‘heartfelt condolences’ to the bereaved families.
Fellow party leader Jairam Ramesh appeared to echo the sentiment, tweeting that the crash was ‘truly horrendous’ and noting that safety should be the top priority of the railways.
“There are many legitimate questions that need to be raised but that should wait till tomorrow," he added.
ALSO READ: Odisha train accident: Coromandel Express entered loop line, hit goods train
The CPI and RJD as well as some Congress leaders have demanded that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw resign over the incident. Meanwhile BJP MP Varun Gandhi has urged MPs to donate a part of their one-month salary to the bereaved families to help them.
"Do we no longer have any signalling and safety system in Indian railways? Or will such terrible tragedies become the new normal for rail travel in India? We owe an answer to the victims and to the families who lost their near and dear ones in this mishap," tweeted CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya.
(With inputs from agencies)
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