Last Update: June 04, 2023, 3:20 PM IST
Khera said that Prime Minister Modi, who has announced punishment for the guilty, should first start with his Railway Minister (File photo: PTI)
Earlier, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that railway safety was compromised in a “PR campaign” by the prime minister and the railway minister.
The Congress on Sunday demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav over the Odisha train tragedy, alleging that his “PR gimmick” overshadowed the “serious shortcomings, criminal negligence and complete disregard for safety and security” of the Indian Railways.
The opposition party also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should accept responsibility for the “mess” his government has inflicted on the Indian Railways and the people.
Addressing a press conference, Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil and AICC’s publicity and media department chief Pawan Khera alleged that the Odisha train tragedy was a “man-made catastrophe” caused by “utter negligence, serious lapses in the system, inefficiency, and a narrow spirit”. Modi government’s know-it-all attitude.”
Khera said that Prime Minister Modi, who has declared that the guilty will be punished, should first start with his Railway Minister. “Clearly and categorically we demand the resignation of Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav. Nothing less than that,” he said.
Earlier, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that railway safety was compromised in a “PR campaign” by the prime minister and the railway minister. So after the horrific Gasel train tragedy of August 1999,” he said in a tweet.
In the presser, Gohil and Kheda questioned the government and asked when PM Modi would seek the resignation of his Railway Minister Vaishnav.
He alleged that Vaishnav’s “over the top propaganda, theatrics and PR gimmickry has led to serious lapses, criminal negligence and complete disregard for the safety and security of the Indian Railways”.
“PM Modi, himself is responsible for flagging off Vande Bharat Express trains. Gohil and Khera, in their statement, said they are themselves responsible for creating this ‘all is well’ facade in the Indian Railways, even as the critical, sensitive and critical infrastructure of the Indian Railways is being neglected.
“We demand that despite several warnings by the CAG, Parliamentary Standing Committees and experts, why hasn’t the Modi government spent on improving rail security?”
Who is responsible for the deadliest train tragedy in independent India, Gohil and Kheda asked.
Will only lower or middle level officials bear the brunt of accountability or will the executive who took all the credit for Vande Bharat trains also be held accountable for this brazen disregard of safety standards, he asked.
The Congress leaders also asked when the Modi government would implement the much-touted Kavach anti-collision system across the country after testing it.
Gohil and Khera asked when the government would infuse more funds into the Rashtriya Rail Suraksha Kosh (RRSK) and fill up the over three lakh vacant posts in the Indian Railways.
The Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, carrying around 2,500 passengers, and a goods train met with an accident near Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore around 7 pm on Friday. At least 288 people died in this accident and more than 1,100 people were injured.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI,