Odisha train accident: Opposition party leaders raised questions about the signalling system of the railways which purportedly led to the triple train crash in Balasore in Odisha. At least 280 people died and over 900 were injured in the crash on Friday. The crash involved Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train.
TMC demands railway minister’s resignation
The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal demanded Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s resignation on Friday over the horrific crash.
TMC’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee alleged that the Centre was spending crores of rupees on software to spy on opposition leaders. However, it was neglecting the installation of anti-collision devices in trains to prevent such accidents.
He said the Narendra Modi government was trying to win was political support by boasting of Vande Bharat trains . It was “misleading the public” and neglecting the safety measures, he said.
Banerjee said it is the impoverished and marginalised people who bear the brunt of “the apathy of the Centre” and their actions, whether it is demonetisation, GST, lockdowns, farm laws or inadequate railway safety measures.
“My heart goes out to the families who lost their loved ones and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured, and if there remains a semblance of conscience, the Railway Minister should resign. NOW!” he wrote on Facebook.
TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale echoed similar sentiments. “My fervent prayers for those affected & their families. …That an alleged signalling failure led to 3 trains crashing is shocking beyond belief. There are serious questions which need answering,” Gokhale tweeted.
Safety should be priority, says Congress
Congress said on Saturday the “horrendous” train accident in Odisha reinforces why safety should always be the foremost priority in the functioning of the rail network. It said that there are many legitimate questions that need to be raised.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet that the train accident in Odisha is truly horrendous and is a matter of the greatest anguish.
We owe an answer to the victims: CPI(ML)
CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya questioned signaling failure. “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,” he said in a tweet.
CPI MP Binoy Viswam demanded Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s resignation. “Government concentrates only on luxury trains. Trains and tracks of common people are neglected. Orissa deaths are the result of it. Rail minister should resign. concentrate only on luxury trains. Trains and tracks of common people are neglected.Orissa deaths are the result of it. Rail minister should resign,” Viswam said in a tweet.
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